Beyond a Single Narrative: An Investigation of Non-western Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Their Application to Deliver an Effective Circular Economy

The United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 advocates for responsible consumption and production, an idea that is encapsulated by the concept of Circular Economy (CE). Instead of using and disposing off resources, CE ensures that resources are used and re-used to prevent the generation of waste. While CE has gained prominence in the literature, CE research has been largely dominated by Western perspectives that have often overlooked non-Western perspectives. Ironically, while many Western CE approaches tend to pursue economic profitability ventures at the expense of the overall well-being of the environment, most non-Western indigenous approaches and perspectives have been found to prioritise the social and ecological well-being of the environment. To meet SDG 12 by 2030, it is imperative that CE principles include not only Western ideologies, but also non-Western discourses and perspectives. This chapter presents an overview of CE, and it proceeds to offer a critical review and discussion of sustainable non-Western indigenous knowledge systems and their contributions the CE discourse. The Hawai’ian ancestral traditional knowledge system is highlighted and explored as a case study of how non-Western indigenous knowledge systems can be applied to enhance CE. By critically examining non-Western indigenous perspectives, this chapter seeks to lay the foundation for a more inclusive CE discourse, with an ultimate goal of facilitating the inclusion of non-Western knowledge systems into CE conceptualisation.