If there is waste, there is a system: Understanding Victoria's circular economy transition from a systems thinking perspective

IF 6.6 2区经济学 Q1 ECOLOGY

Ecological Economics Pub Date : 2024-09-21 DOI:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2024.108395

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Abstract

Governments around the world have started adopting circular economy policies with the aim of transitioning production and consumption systems to be more circular. This transition requires a holistic approach to overcome a multitude of interdependent challenges. To understand how the State of Victoria, Australia is transitioning to a circular economy, this paper uses a systems thinking approach to analyse the current ecosystem. Using data from multiple sources, Causal Loop Diagrams to depict sub-systems were developed and validated through focus group workshops. We found that there is a heavy reliance on the resource recovery and recycling sector, both at industry level and policy interventions. Common misconceptions that circular economy is an advanced recycling strategy was found to be a major barrier for the transition. Policies to overcome these misconceptions and developing accepted circularity indicators focusing on the design stage and upfront considerations of downstream end of life impacts would enable a holistic transition.

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有废物，就有系统：从系统思维的角度理解维多利亚州的循环经济转型

世界各国政府已开始采取循环经济政策，目的是将生产和消费系统转变为更加循环的系统。这种转型需要采用整体方法来克服众多相互依存的挑战。为了解澳大利亚维多利亚州如何向循环经济转型，本文采用系统思维方法分析当前的生态系统。利用多种来源的数据，我们绘制了描述子系统的因果循环图，并通过焦点小组研讨会进行了验证。我们发现，无论是在行业层面还是政策干预方面，都非常依赖资源回收和循环利用部门。我们发现，认为循环经济是一种先进的再循环战略的普遍误解是转型的主要障碍。制定政策以克服这些误解，并制定公认的循环性指标，重点关注设计阶段和对下游寿命终期影响的前期考虑，将有助于实现全面过渡。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Ecological Economics 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

12.00

自引率

5.70%

发文量

313

审稿时长

6 months

期刊介绍： Ecological Economics is concerned with extending and integrating the understanding of the interfaces and interplay between "nature''s household" (ecosystems) and "humanity''s household" (the economy). Ecological economics is an interdisciplinary field defined by a set of concrete problems or challenges related to governing economic activity in a way that promotes human well-being, sustainability, and justice. The journal thus emphasizes critical work that draws on and integrates elements of ecological science, economics, and the analysis of values, behaviors, cultural practices, institutional structures, and societal dynamics. The journal is transdisciplinary in spirit and methodologically open, drawing on the insights offered by a variety of intellectual traditions, and appealing to a diverse readership. Specific research areas covered include: valuation of natural resources, sustainable agriculture and development, ecologically integrated technology, integrated ecologic-economic modelling at scales from local to regional to global, implications of thermodynamics for economics and ecology, renewable resource management and conservation, critical assessments of the basic assumptions underlying current economic and ecological paradigms and the implications of alternative assumptions, economic and ecological consequences of genetically engineered organisms, and gene pool inventory and management, alternative principles for valuing natural wealth, integrating natural resources and environmental services into national income and wealth accounts, methods of implementing efficient environmental policies, case studies of economic-ecologic conflict or harmony, etc. New issues in this area are rapidly emerging and will find a ready forum in Ecological Economics.