Abstract:
Climate change and the depletion of natural resources are today’s two most pressing global issues. One of the main contradictions in modern economics is the conflict between economic growth and the limits of natural resource use. The solution to this task is a transition to a balanced, sustainable development of the circular economy, which equally combines economic, environmental, and social aspects of economic growth.
Therefore, it is important to highlight the significant differences between circular and linear economies and analyze the first steps of European experience implementation in this area. Based on the study results, the authors made the following conclusions regarding the issues that need to be addressed. Specifically, it has been established that the key approaches to using waste as a resource, which are prerequisites for the development of a circular economy, include involving as many stakeholders as possible in circular transformation, positioning all waste as a source of resources that can be reused, recycled or repurposed, and establishing maintenance and technical support for existing systems.
Survey
The survey has shown that the critical industrial sectors where circular economic development is currently most active in European countries are energy production and transportation (including electrochemistry and water) and the extraction and processing of minerals. The main advantages of the circular economic model are innovative and resource-efficient methods of production and consumption, protection of companies from resource shortages and unstable prices, and reduced negative environmental impact. It also shows that the most demanded research directions in the field of circular economic development are „Reducing resource consumption and promoting renewable raw materials: prospects for development and world experience of state regulation,“ „Reuse of resources: maximum efficiency in the use of production results,“ and „Investigation of optimal resource utilization in various industries.“
According to the survey, the most common trends in circular economic development in EU countries are the reuse of raw materials in production, where used products or their components become part of new goods; the reuse of materials in consumption, where companies can extend the life cycle of a product through service optimization, as well as industrial symbiosis and processing of production waste. At the same time, the priority goals in developing circular economy practices in the EU countries are promoting industrial symbiosis, transforming by-products of one production process into raw materials for another, advancing economically viable eco-packaging, and establishing systems for restoration and recycling. This research aims to determine the opinion of scientists and executives of industrial enterprises‘ departments on the specifics of circular economy development.
Available at: https://rgsa.emnuvens.com.br/rgsa/article/view/3385/1006
Gorokhova, T., Shpatakova, O., Toponar , O., Zolotarova, O., & Pavliuk, S. (2023). Circular Economy as an Alternative to the Traditional Linear Economy: Case Study of the EU. Revista De Gestão Social E Ambiental, 17(5), e03385. https://doi.org/10.24857/rgsa.v17n5-002