Abstract
Unsustainable production and consumption patterns lead to significant amounts of resource consumption and waste, both of which impact biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions. SDG 12 underlines that to mitigate these impacts, the current linear economic system must become more sustainable. A solution is the transition to a circular economy, an approach which aims to keep resources and products in cycles as long as possible to reduce resource use and associated environmental impacts. Municipalities as local actors play a key role in supporting this transition as they break down overarching sustainability and circularity goals into local level decision-making. In our project ‘bergisch.circular’, we introduce circularity-promoting intercommunal structures into three municipalities and evaluate how this aids in promoting circular economy on city level. This paper shows the results of a series of 26 semi-structured interviews with 32 local actors regarding the potentials and barriers of circular economy as well as intercommunal cooperation in their everyday activities. The results reveal that municipalities see the circular economy as a priority for cities, but that it is currently not systematically embedded. Potentials of circular processes such as cost savings and environmental and social benefits are seen, but a lack of personnel and funding as well as slow and stiff structures, stereotypes around circularity and business-as-usual mentalities hinder the adoption of circular economy principles. Municipalities can serve as role models in the transition, but circular solutions must take into account their individual needs as well as offer concrete and clear guidelines for implementation.
Presenters
Franziska ErbeJunior Researcher, Circular Economy, Material Loops , Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy , Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Circular Economy, Local Municipalities, Barriers and Potentials, Circular Structures
