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The symbiotic rebound effect in the circular economy

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  • Figge, Frank
  • Thorpe, Andrea Stevenson

Abstract

The circular economy has emerged as an important approach in addressing how society can use its resources more efficiently. Theoretical advancements in the circular economy have yielded benefits for both practice and policymaking. However, if the eco-efficiency of resource use is to be improved, then certain challenges that face the circular economy must be resolved. One of these challenges concerns the rebound effect. By investigating resource flow with a circular (rather than linear) system, as well as within a producer-producer (rather than producer-consumer) type of relationship, we identify a rebound effect that we term ‘symbiotic rebound’. We differentiate it from other forms of rebound effect on the basis of its main driver: Opportunity costs drive a higher than expected use of resources in a circular economy, rather than the usual driver of ‘demand’, as found in other types of rebound. In identifying, describing, and illustrating a symbiotic rebound effect, we make two contributions: first to the rebound literature, and second to theory development on the circular economy.

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  • Figge, Frank & Thorpe, Andrea Stevenson, 2019. "The symbiotic rebound effect in the circular economy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 61-69.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:163:y:2019:i:c:p:61-69
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.04.028
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    Cited by:

    1. Figge, Frank & Thorpe, Andrea Stevenson, 2023. "Circular economy, operational eco-efficiency, and sufficiency. An integrated view," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(PB).
    2. Ioannis E. Nikolaou & Nikoleta Jones & Alexandros Stefanakis, 2021. "Circular Economy and Sustainability: the Past, the Present and the Future Directions," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    3. Monia Niero & Charlotte L. Jensen & Chiara Farné Fratini & Jens Dorland & Michael S. Jørgensen & Susse Georg, 2021. "Is life cycle assessment enough to address unintended side effects from Circular Economy initiatives?," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(5), pages 1111-1120, October.
    4. Stumpf, Lukas & Schöggl, Josef-Peter & Baumgartner, Rupert J., 2023. "Circular plastics packaging – Prioritizing resources and capabilities along the supply chain," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    5. Frank Figge & Andrea Stevenson Thorpe & Siarhei Manzhynski & Melissa Gutberlet, 2022. "The us in reUSe. Theorizing the how and why of the circular economy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(6), pages 2741-2753, September.
    6. Gutberlet, Melissa & Preuss, Lutz & Thorpe, Andrea Stevenson, 2023. "Macro level matters: Advancing circular economy in different business systems within Europe," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    7. Barkemeyer, Ralf & Young, C. William & Chintakayala, Phani Kumar & Owen, Anne, 2023. "Eco-labels, conspicuous conservation and moral licensing: An indirect behavioural rebound effect," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(PA).
    8. Frank Figge & Andrea Stevenson Thorpe & Siarhei Manzhynski, 2022. "Value creation and the circular economy: A tale of three externalities," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(5), pages 1690-1700, October.
    9. John Rincón-Moreno & Marta Ormazabal & Maria J. Álvarez & Carmen Jaca, 2020. "Shortcomings of Transforming a Local Circular Economy System through Industrial Symbiosis: A Case Study in Spanish SMEs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-18, October.
    10. Jia, Zhijie & Lin, Boqiang, 2022. "Is the rebound effect useless? A case study on the technological progress of the power industry," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    11. Lahcen, Bart & Eyckmans, Johan & Rousseau, Sandra & Dams, Yoko & Brusselaers, Jan, 2022. "Modelling the circular economy: Introducing a supply chain equilibrium approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    12. Joerg S. Hofstetter & Valentina Marchi & Joseph Sarkis & Kannan Govindan & Robert Klassen & Aldo R. Ometto & Katharina S. Spraul & Nancy Bocken & Weslynne S. Ashton & Sanjay Sharma & Melanie Jaeger-Er, 2021. "From Sustainable Global Value Chains to Circular Economy—Different Silos, Different Perspectives, but Many Opportunities to Build Bridges," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    13. Stefanie Klose & Stefan Pauliuk, 2021. "Quantifying longevity and circularity of copper for different resource efficiency policies at the material and product levels," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(4), pages 979-993, August.
    14. Siarhei Manzhynski & Frank Figge, 2020. "Coopetition for sustainability: Between organizational benefit and societal good," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 827-837, March.
    15. Luthra, Sunil & Kumar, Anil & Sharma, Manu & Arturo Garza-Reyes, Jose & Kumar, Vikas, 2022. "An analysis of operational behavioural factors and circular economy practices in SMEs: An emerging economy perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 321-336.
    16. Jouan, Julia & Ridier, Aude & Carof, Matthieu, 2020. "SYNERGY: A regional bio-economic model analyzing farm-to-farm exchanges and legume production to enhance agricultural sustainability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    17. Klimenko, V.V. & Ratner, S.V. & Tereshin, A.G., 2021. "Constraints imposed by key-material resources on renewable energy development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    18. Bruno, Giuseppe & Diglio, Antonio & Passaro, Renato & Piccolo, Carmela & Quinto, Ivana, 2021. "Measuring spatial access to the recovery networks for WEEE: An in-depth analysis of the Italian case," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
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    20. Hinrika Droege & Andrea Raggi & Tomás B. Ramos, 2021. "Co‐development of a framework for circular economy assessment in organisations: Learnings from the public sector," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(6), pages 1715-1729, November.

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