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Global environmental and socio‐economic impacts of a transition to a circular economy in metal and electrical products: A Dutch case study

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  • Bertram F. de Boer
  • Elmer Rietveld
  • João F. D. Rodrigues
  • Arnold Tukker

Abstract

Shifting from a linear to a circular economy could decouple environmental footprints from an ever growing global GDP. As footprints are increasingly driven by international trade, such a shift in a national economy would have global implications. In this study, we explore the global environmental and socio‐economic impacts of hypothetical circular policy interventions affecting the consumption of metal and electrical products in the Netherlands. We use environmentally extended multi regional input‐output analysis and use repair activities as a proxy to model other circularity activities. Compared with a business‐as‐usual scenario of final demand for metal and electrical products in the Netherlands, we find that the considered interventions yield a decrease in global environmental and socio‐economic impacts (average change −7%), and an increase in domestic employment (+13%) and value added (+2%), as well as a modest increase in most domestic environmental impacts (+1% on average). We explore whether these interventions would lead to resource decoupling (i.e., both economic activity and its associated environmental impacts grow, but the former more strongly than the latter) and/or impact decoupling (i.e., economic activity grows and impacts decrease). Domestically we observe resource decoupling while globally both environmental impacts and economic activity are reduced. Our findings thus challenge the assumption that the implantation of circular economy policies will lead to global resource decoupling, instead suggesting that the social and economic benefits of a circular transition are unequally distributed across regions. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges.

Suggested Citation

  • Bertram F. de Boer & Elmer Rietveld & João F. D. Rodrigues & Arnold Tukker, 2021. "Global environmental and socio‐economic impacts of a transition to a circular economy in metal and electrical products: A Dutch case study," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(5), pages 1264-1271, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:25:y:2021:i:5:p:1264-1271
    DOI: 10.1111/jiec.13133
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Konstantin Stadler & Richard Wood & Tatyana Bulavskaya & Carl†Johan Södersten & Moana Simas & Sarah Schmidt & Arkaitz Usubiaga & José Acosta†Fernández & Jeroen Kuenen & Martin Bruckner & Stefan, 2018. "EXIOBASE 3: Developing a Time Series of Detailed Environmentally Extended Multi†Regional Input†Output Tables," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 22(3), pages 502-515, June.
    2. Kirchherr, Julian & Reike, Denise & Hekkert, Marko, 2017. "Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 221-232.
    3. Moana S. Simas & Laura Golsteijn & Mark A. J. Huijbregts & Richard Wood & Edgar G. Hertwich, 2014. "The “Bad Labor” Footprint: Quantifying the Social Impacts of Globalization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(11), pages 1-27, October.
    4. Richard Wood & Konstantin Stadler & Moana Simas & Tatyana Bulavskaya & Stefan Giljum & Stephan Lutter & Arnold Tukker, 2018. "Growth in Environmental Footprints and Environmental Impacts Embodied in Trade: Resource Efficiency Indicators from EXIOBASE3," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 22(3), pages 553-564, June.
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    1. Purvis, Ben & Genovese, Andrea, 2023. "Better or different? A reflection on the suitability of indicator methods for a just transition to a circular economy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).

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