Barriers to the Circular Economy: Evidence From the European Union (EU)

Kirchherr, Julian; Piscicelli, Laura; Bour, Ruben; Kostense-Smit, Erica; Muller, Jennifer; Huibrechtse-Truijens, Anne; Hekkert, Marko P.

doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.04.028

Cited by 1,130 publications

(1,229 citation statements)

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“…By 2018, publications addressing conceptualization and measurement of CE become the heart of CE research, in addition to some new topics. [4,40,[68][69][70] from diverse disciplines, focus on conceptualizing and reviewing the CE literature. [71] from Environment and Engineering address the socio-economic embeddedness of CE.…”

Section: Main Path Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, the latest emerging topics address CE in cities by [73] from Architecture, and the institutions and governance structures role in linked value chains by [74] from Agricultural Engineering. In parallel, the tendency of scholars to review and conceptualize CE still holds through [70] from Sustainability, addressing the inhibitors of CE development in Europe, and [69] from Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Resource Recovery, who explore tools for CE implementation.…”

Section: Main Path Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…• CE research is characterized by interdisciplinary and international collaboration between scholars, which may create opportunities for cross-fertilization. Further, some authors were/are more active than others (i.e., [3,4,40,55,58,70]) as they appear twice on the Main Path.…”

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A Systematic Literature Network Analysis of Existing Themes and Emerging Research Trends in Circular Economy

et al. 2020

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The debate about Circular Economy (CE) has been increasingly enriched by academics through a vast array of contributions, based on several theoretical perspectives and emanating from several research domains. However, current research still falls short of providing a holistic and broader view of CE, one that combines existing themes and emerging research trends. Accordingly, based on a Systematic Literature Network Analysis, this paper tackles this gap. First, a Citation Network Analysis is used to unearth the development of the CE literature based on papers' references, whilst the Main Path is traced to detect the seminal papers in the field through time. Second, to consider the literature in its broader extent, a Keywords Co-Occurrence Network Analysis is conducted based on papers' keywords, whereby all papers in the dataset, including the non-cited papers, are assessed. Additionally, a Global Citation Score analysis is conducted to uncover the recent breakthrough research, in addition to the Burst Analysis used to detect the dynamic development of CE literature over time. By doing so, the paper explores the development of the CE body of knowledge, reveals its dynamic evolution over time, detects its main theoretical perspectives and research domains, and highlights its emerging topics. Our findings unfold the evidence of eight main trends of research about CE, unearth the path through which the CE concept emerged and has been growing, and concludes with promising avenues for future research.Sustainability 2020, 12, 1633 2 of 24 of CE, we explore the process of knowledge conception, dissemination and progress through a dynamic lens, with the aim to unearth its ongoing evolution. Accordingly, our main research question is: What are the existing themes and emerging research trends in Circular Economy?With this aim, we conduct a Systematic Literature Network Analysis (SLNA), which consists of a novel literature review method based on a dynamic approach that allows for uncovering how academics have addressed a specific topic over time since its early appearance. In other words, the SLNA results would complement the already existing systematic literature reviews about CE, in the sense that they supplement the reader with a synthesis of the dynamic development of the field, and a set of CE research development themes based on objective measurements.Scholars designed the SLNA as a quantitative-based method that builds on both systematic literature review and bibliographic network analysis [8]. The SLNA allows for embracing the knowledge of a field in its broader view and inherent value by identifying the main paths and key issues shaping its growth in a more rigorous way compared to conventional literature reviews [9]. Indeed, a conventional literature review usually relies on content analyses, which omit the dynamic evolution of the research. Moreover, the selection and categorization of literature relies on subjective, rather than objective tools. On the contrary, the SLNA relies on objective tools and algorithms (e...

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Section: Main Path Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Main Path Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Systematic Literature Network Analysis of Existing Themes and Emerging Research Trends in Circular Economy

et al. 2020

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“…Further, some of the unaddressed systemic challenges to the circular economy include a lack of consumer interest and awareness, hesitant company culture, regulatory, incompatible current market structures, and slow technological progress towards recovering/recirculating resources [24]. Due to these interrelated challenges, the current scope of the circular economy implementation includes only selected products, materials, and sectors [5].…”

Section: Socio-economic Embeddedness In the Materials Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Socio-Economic Embeddedness of the Circular Economy: An Integrative Framework

et al. 2018

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Global economies have been characterised by a large dependency of material inflows from natural stocks, an exponential growth of material stock-in-use in the built environment, and the extensive disposal of waste material outflows to anthropogenic sinks. In this context, the concept of the circular economy has emerged, promising to circulate the stock-in-use of materials and transforming output waste material flows back into useful resources while promoting job and value creation. These promises have drawn the attention and interest of policymakers and industry, and gained popularity across society. Despite its apparent emergent legitimacy and diffusion, a few essential adjustments still need to be addressed so that circular economy initiatives can actually deliver on their promises without leading to negative unintended effects. First, a complete entanglement with the existing formal economy is fundamentally needed; this implies valuing the preservation of natural stocks and pricing material input flows adequately. Secondly, a recognition of its socio-economic embeddedness is essentially necessary. The decision-making of societal actors affects material configuration, which in turn affects societal actors; this important feedback loop needs to be explicitly taken into account in circular economy initiatives. The aim of this short communication paper is to explore these pervasive challenges in a broad context of sustainable physical resource management. An integrative framework for recognising the socio-economic embeddedness of the circular economy in practice and the role of the formal economic system in realising its ambitions is proposed.

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“…This framework is at the core of the EU's Waste Framework Directive (European Commission, 2008). Specifically, the framework introduces "recover" as the fourth R. Both Europe and China are promoting the development of the circular economy, which is becoming an integral part of the process of making new policies, laws, and legislation (Guo, Geng, Sterr, Zhu, & Liu, 2017;Kirchherr et al, 2018;McDowall et al, 2017;Su, Heshmati, Geng, & Yu, 2013). In November 2016, the EU-China Forum Towards Circular Economy Development was held in Beijing.…”

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confidence: 99%

Sustainable consumption in China: New trends and research interests

Shao

2019

Bus Strat Env

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China is currently the largest CO2 emitter in the world and demonstrates one of the highest levels of energy consumption. The sustainable consumption behavior has increased in China, especially in urban cities. Some clear evidence of this includes food purchasing behavior. Recent studies have also suggested that considering full product information transparency, consumers are willing to pay premium prices for products. With this in mind, sustainable consumption must still be facilitated by related policies, regulations, and tools. This study focuses on sustainable consumption behavior in China and collects and analyzes the literature from the last decade (2007–2017) on the topic. In so doing, it highlights new trends and research topics against the background of circular economy development. The method of systematic review is applied. The review is categorized into several main groups: national policies and regulations, the green awareness of consumers, the definition of related concepts, the barriers between sustainable consumption and the circular economy, and the indicators for circular economy assessment in China. Future research directions are discussed. Furthermore, future challenges are addressed from three perspectives: sustainable consumption facilitating the circular economy, “cradle‐to‐cradle” practices, and the link between the European Union and China. This is a fundamental study in the research domain of sustainable consumption behavior. It provides added value that benefits both academic researchers and decision makers. It also sheds light on the further study of sustainable consumption behavior in China from a macroeconomic perspective.

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Barriers to the Circular Economy: Evidence From the European Union (EU)

Cited by 1,130 publications

References 52 publications

A Systematic Literature Network Analysis of Existing Themes and Emerging Research Trends in Circular Economy

A Systematic Literature Network Analysis of Existing Themes and Emerging Research Trends in Circular Economy

The Socio-Economic Embeddedness of the Circular Economy: An Integrative Framework

Sustainable consumption in China: New trends and research interests

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