Circular economy for sustainable development: A food system perspective

Abstract

Nowadays, people take materials from the earth, generate products from them, and in the end throw them away as waste -this is called a linear economy. However, a circular economy (CE) keeps products, materials, and components in use at their highest value. This study aims to provide an insight on the concept of CE in the context of a food system, focusing on the EU in particular. This is because changing food systems is one of the most effective ways to address climate change, rebuild biodiversity, etc. Currently, Europe is a founder when it comes to CE policy development, as seen in it activating the CE action plan in 2020. The EU's transition to a CE aims to reduce pressure on natural resources and create sustainable growth and jobs. While the food value chain accounts for significant resources and environmental pressures, roughly 20% of the total food produced is lost or wasted in the EU (European Commission, 2020). Therefore, along with a data review of CE thematic areas and indicators, the main contribution of this study is to analyze and understand insights concerning the environmental impacts of current agri-food economic systems and potential solutions in the food system stages based on the relationship of food and the CE in order to recommend policy recommendations.