Stakeholder-driven circular economy on marginal lands: Governance and sustainability trade-offs in biomass value chains

Abstract

Circular economy (CE) models have potential to advance sustainability in biomass-based value chains, but implementation on marginal lands is constrained by governance fragmentation, limited financing, and diverging stakeholder priorities. Using a mixed-methods approach—including stakeholder surveys, thematic coding, and concept mapping—this study examines governance expectations across seven international case contexts in Europe, South Africa, and Argentina. The results reveal pronounced differences across groups: businesses and investors prioritize infrastructure, financing mechanisms, and market stability; farmers emphasize land-use flexibility, compensation schemes, and long-term support; policymakers and environmental and conservation organizations focus on regulatory coherence, biodiversity protection, and inclusive governance; while research and innovation actors call for strengthened coordination, knowledge exchange, and locally adapted monitoring systems. In Global South cases, social equity issues—especially related to land access, participation, and benefit sharing—emerged as critical concerns. Across groups and countries, shared expectations for biobased products centered on climate and biodiversity benefits, affordability, traceability, and alignment with local needs and CE principles. Concept mapping illustrates interlinkages between stakeholder-defined priorities, governance gaps, and technical constraints, offering insight into underlying sustainability trade-offs. The findings highlight stakeholder governance as a central enabler of CE transitions, emphasizing the need for multi-level, participatory coordination, stable financial support, and cross-sectoral alignment. These insights contribute to context-sensitive strategies for circular bioeconomy development on marginal lands and support progress toward SDG 12.5, while reinforcing synergies with SDGs 13 and 15 on climate and biodiversity goals.