The emergence of circular economy: a new framing around prolonging resource productivity
File(s)
Author(s)
Blomsma, F
Brennan,, G
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
In this article we use Hirsch and Levin’s (1999) notion of ‘umbrella concepts’ as an analytical lens, in order to articulate the valuable catalytic function the circular economy concept could perform in the waste and resource management debate. We realize this goal by anchoring the circular economy concept in this broader debate through a narrative approach. This leads to the insight that while the various resource strategies grouped under circular economy’s banner are not new individually, the concept offers a new framing of these strategies by drawing attention to their capacity of prolonging resource use as well as to the relationship between these strategies. As such, circular economy offers a new perspective on waste and resource management and provides a new cognitive unit and discursive space for debate. We conclude by discussing research opportunities for the IE community relating to the concept’s theoretical development and its implementation. Specifically, we pose that reinvigorating and growing the social science aspects of IE is required for both. After all, it is the wide adoption and collective implementation of an idea that shapes our material future.
Date Issued
2017-05-09
Date Acceptance
2017-03-12
Citation
Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2017, 21 (3), pp.603-614
ISSN
1530-9290
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
603
End Page
614
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Industrial Ecology
Volume
21
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
© 2017 The Authors.Journal of Industrial Ecology, published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc., on behalf of Yale University. This is an open access article under the terms of theCreative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Subjects
MD Multidisciplinary
Environmental Sciences
Publication Status
Published