Coming full circle: why social and institutional dimensions matter for the circular economy

Article Article scientifique Article Coming full circle: why social and institutional dimensions matter for the circular economy eng 2017 author Moreau Vincent author Sahakian Marlyne 0000-0003-0196-7865 637082 author Van Griethuysen Pascal Philippe 45352 author Vuille François 497-506 10.1111/jiec.12598 1530-9290 In light of the environmental consequences of linear production and consumption processes, the circular economy (CE) is gaining momentum as a concept and practice, promoting closed material cycles by focusing on multiple strategies from material recycling to product reuse, as well as rethinking production and consumption chains toward increased resource efficiency. Yet, by considering mainly cost-effective opportunities within the realm of economic competitiveness, it stops short of grappling with the institutional and social predispositions necessary for societal transitions to a CE. The distinction of noncompetitive and not-for-profit activities remains to be addressed, along with other societal questions relating to labor conditions, wealth distribution, and governance systems. In this article, we recall some underlying biophysical aspects to explain the limits to current CE approaches. We examine the CE from a biophysical and social perspective to show that the concept lacks the social and institutional dimensions to address the current material and energy throughput in the economy. We show that reconsidering labor is essential to tackling the large share of dissipated material and energy flows that cannot be recovered economically. Institutional conditions have an essential role to play in setting the rules that differentiate profitable from nonprofitable activities. In this context, the social and solidarity economy, with its focus on equity with respect to labor and governance, provides an instructive and practical example that defies the constraints related to current institutional conditions and economic efficiency. We show how insights from the principles of the social and solidarity economy can contribute to the development of a CE by further defining who bears the costs of economic activities. Circular economy Flow fund model Industrial ecology Institutional economics Labor Social and solidarity economy Dewey 301 Dewey 354.3 122 Département de sociologie T4 199 Institut de la gouvernance de l'environnement et du développement territorial TF 197 Institut de recherches sociologiques TG false 939 Pôle/Institut Gouvernance de l'environnement et développement territorial (PI-GEDT) Journal of Industrial Ecology 21 3 c9f16654-9349-4f40-abc8-a925e30895a9 Article (Published version) Public MoreauSahakianetal2017.pdf 237613 application/pdf OA OTHER openAccess Faculté des sciences de la société / Département de sociologie Faculté des sciences de la société / Institut de la gouvernance de l'environnement et du développement territorial Faculté des sciences de la société / Institut de recherches sociologiques

Title	Published in	Year	Views	Downloads

Coming full circle: why social and institutional dimensions matter for the circular economy	Journal of Industrial Ecology	2017	507	364
La contribution de l'économie évolutive dans la problématique du développement durable		2002	1 184	1 094

Archive ouverte UNIGE

Van Griethuysen, Pascal Philippe