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Circular Economy Indicators as a Supporting Tool for European Regional Development Policies

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  • Anna Avdiushchenko

    (Faculty of Management, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
    Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Jagiellonian University, 31-007 Kraków, Poland)

  • Paweł Zając

    (Department of Applications of Mathematics in Economics, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Krakow, Poland)

Abstract

The current research proposes a system of possible indicators for evaluating progress towards circular economy (CE) at the regional level in European Union countries. This was accomplished through desktop research examining potential CE indicators and approaches to monitoring, worldwide or at the country level, and possibilities for adapting such approaches to European regions. The study has shown that existing tools for monitoring are inadequate for tracking the progress of CE transition at the regional level. Based on those findings, it is possible to propose principles for designing CE indicators, types of indicators, their main characteristics and sources for data collection. The study also presents a case study for tracking CE progress, applying the proposed CE indicators to the Malopolska region in southern Poland. However, comparing CE progress between different European regions may not be feasible because of the limits of data availability. Additional indicators should be identified at the regional level to increase the quality of proposed areas of CE monitoring. Nevertheless, analysing CE indexes for various regions could offer a valuable method for distinguishing regional leaders in CE development to serve as useful examples, while determining which regions need to intensify their efforts toward such a transition.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Avdiushchenko & Paweł Zając, 2019. "Circular Economy Indicators as a Supporting Tool for European Regional Development Policies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-22, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:11:p:3025-:d:235120
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    Cited by:

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    5. Elzbieta Szczygiel & Katarzyna Kowalska2, 2021. "Meeting Halfway - Understanding Circular Behaviours among Households as a Starting Point for Business Practices," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(3B), pages 967-980.
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    8. Zając, P. & Avdiushchenko, A., 2020. "The impact of converting waste into resources on the regional economy, evidence from Poland," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 437(C).
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    11. Li, Huilong & Wei, Xinyuan & Gao, Xinyu, 2021. "Objectives setting and instruments selection of circular economy policy in China's mining industry: A textual analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    12. Armand Kasztelan, 2020. "How Circular Are the European Economies? A Taxonomic Analysis Based on the INEC (Index of National Economies’ Circularity)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-11, September.
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    14. Joanicjusz Nazarko & Ewa Chodakowska & Łukasz Nazarko, 2022. "Evaluating the Transition of the European Union Member States towards a Circular Economy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-24, May.
    15. Elena Simina Lakatos & Geng Yong & Andrea Szilagyi & Dan Sorin Clinci & Lucian Georgescu & Catalina Iticescu & Lucian-Ionel Cioca, 2021. "Conceptualizing Core Aspects on Circular Economy in Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-21, July.
    16. Leandro Javier Llorente-González & Xavier Vence, 2019. "Decoupling or ‘Decaffing’? The Underlying Conceptualization of Circular Economy in the European Union Monitoring Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-21, September.
    17. Ewa Mazur-Wierzbicka, 2021. "Towards Circular Economy—A Comparative Analysis of the Countries of the European Union," Resources, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-25, May.
    18. Yan Ma & Johan Berg Pettersen, 2023. "Life cycle assessment of pig iron production from bauxite residue: A European case study," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(6), pages 1639-1652, December.
    19. Marzena Smol & Joanna Duda & Agnieszka Czaplicka-Kotas & Dominika Szołdrowska, 2020. "Transformation towards Circular Economy (CE) in Municipal Waste Management System: Model Solutions for Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-25, June.
    20. Xiaoyu Wang & Minyi Zhang & Siying Jie & Mu Zhang & Zhan Zhang, 2023. "Exploring the Coordinated Evolution Mechanism of Regional Sustainable Development and Tourism in China’s “Beautiful China” Initiative," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-24, May.
    21. Marco Abis & Martina Bruno & Kerstin Kuchta & Franz-Georg Simon & Raul Grönholm & Michel Hoppe & Silvia Fiore, 2020. "Assessment of the Synergy between Recycling and Thermal Treatments in Municipal Solid Waste Management in Europe," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-15, December.

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