From the ideal to the reality: How to operationalise an impactful Circular Economy transition?

Abstract

The need to change the way we produce, consume, and live in a resource constrained world is a reasonable argument to make. This has made the concept of Circular Economy (CE) popular in recent years because its vague definition has enabled policymakers and industry to envision an ideal solution to the natural resource problem and the continuation to economic growth simultaneously. However, realising a tangible change in practice is complicated because CE is a contested concept that has different meanings and objectives for different interest groups. Hence, its implementation requires more consensus and clarification. In this paper, I propose solutions to the common barriers to implementation of circular practices identified in the literature and practice.