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Ecosystems, strong sustainability and the classical circular economy

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  • Martins, Nuno Ornelas

Abstract

In this article I argue that notions such as ecosystem services and strong sustainability can be best understood and developed within the theoretical framework advanced by the classical political economists, in which a circular conception of the economy is provided. I also argue that the development of notions such as ecosystem services and strong sustainability has been constrained by the dominance of neoclassical economics, which provides a linear conception of the economy and leads to an emphasis on weak sustainability, which in turn springs from an emphasis on substitutability and aggregate capital. When assessing the relevance of classical political economy for studying ecosystem services and strong sustainability I consider not only the contributions of the classical political economists, but also more recent contributions which draw upon the classical perspective, such as Piero Sraffa's and Amartya Sen's.

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  • Martins, Nuno Ornelas, 2016. "Ecosystems, strong sustainability and the classical circular economy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 32-39.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:129:y:2016:i:c:p:32-39
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.06.003
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    2. Ballet, Jérôme & Marchand, Lucile & Pelenc, Jérôme & Vos, Robin, 2018. "Capabilities, Identity, Aspirations and Ecosystem Services: An Integrated Framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 21-28.
    3. Gonçalves, Jorge & Costa, Manuel Luís, 2022. "The political influence of ecological economics in the European Union applied to the cap-and-trade policy11This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commerc," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    4. Peter W. de Langen & Henrik Sornn-Friese & James Hallworth, 2020. "The Role of Port Development Companies in Transitioning the Port Business Ecosystem; The Case of Port of Amsterdam’s Circular Activities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-16, May.
    5. Patterson, Murray & McDonald, Garry & Hardy, Derrylea, 2017. "Is there more in common than we think? Convergence of ecological footprinting, emergy analysis, life cycle assessment and other methods of environmental accounting," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 362(C), pages 19-36.
    6. Anna Katharina Provasnek & Anton Sentic & Erwin Schmid, 2017. "Integrating Eco‐Innovations and Stakeholder Engagement for Sustainable Development and a Social License to Operate," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(3), pages 173-185, May.
    7. He, Ke & Zhang, Junbiao & Zeng, Yangmei, 2020. "Households’ willingness to pay for energy utilization of crop straw in rural China：Based on an improved UTAUT model," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    8. Aitor Salesa & Raúl León & José M. Moneva, 2022. "Is Business Research Shaping the Circle? Systematic and Bibliometric Review of Circular Economy Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-24, July.
    9. Seckler, Matthias & Volkert, Jürgen, 2021. "The capability approach: A promising foundation for sustainable development?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    10. Stefano Di Bucchianico & Federica Cappelli, 2021. "Exploring the theoretical link between profitability and luxury emissions," Working Papers PKWP2114, Post Keynesian Economics Society (PKES).
    11. Ahmad, Farhan & Bask, Anu & Laari, Sini & Robinson, Craig V., 2023. "Business management perspectives on the circular economy: Present state and future directions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    12. Gianmarco Oro, 2023. "Exploitation of natural resources and the low-carbon switching of techniques inside linear production schemes," PSL Quarterly Review, Economia civile, vol. 76(304), pages 3-19.
    13. Yoann Verger, 2018. "First steps for a Sraffian ecological economics. An answer to Martins' “The Classical Circular Economy, Sraffian Ecological Economics and the Capabilities Approach”," Working Papers hal-01700228, HAL.
    14. Luiz Fernando Rodrigues Pinto & Glória de Fátima Pereira Venturini & Salvatore Digiesi & Francesco Facchini & Geraldo Cardoso de Oliveira Neto, 2020. "Sustainability Assessment in Manufacturing under a Strong Sustainability Perspective—An Ecological Neutrality Initiative," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-40, November.
    15. Cristina Sousa Rocha & Paula Antunes & Paulo Partidário, 2023. "Design for Circular Economy in a Strong Sustainability Paradigm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-30, December.
    16. Lowe, Benjamin H. & Genovese, Andrea, 2022. "What theories of value (could) underpin our circular futures?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    17. Svetlana V. Orekhova & Dmitriy A. Azarov, 2020. "Industrial complex: Evolution of a research programme," Journal of New Economy, Ural State University of Economics, vol. 21(2), pages 5-23, July.
    18. Morgan, Jamie, 2017. "Piketty and the Growth Dilemma Revisited in the Context of Ecological Economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 169-177.
    19. María Jesús Ávila-Gutiérrez & Alejandro Martín-Gómez & Francisco Aguayo-González & Juan Ramón Lama-Ruiz, 2020. "Eco-Holonic 4.0 Circular Business Model to Conceptualize Sustainable Value Chain towards Digital Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-32, March.
    20. Zahra Nasrollahi & Mohadeseh-sadat Hashemi & Saeed Bameri & Vahid Mohamad Taghvaee, 2020. "Environmental pollution, economic growth, population, industrialization, and technology in weak and strong sustainability: using STIRPAT model," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 1105-1122, February.

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