UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Transition Towards a Resource Efficient Circular Economy in Europe: Policy Lessons From the EU and the Member States

Domenech, T; Bahn-Walkoviak, B; (2019) Transition Towards a Resource Efficient Circular Economy in Europe: Policy Lessons From the EU and the Member States. Ecological Economics , 155 pp. 7-19. 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.11.001. Green open access

[thumbnail of EE Challenges Transition Resource Efficient_Repository.pdf]
Preview
Text
EE Challenges Transition Resource Efficient_Repository.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (862kB) | Preview

Abstract

With the introduction of the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe (2011) and the more recent commitment of The Action Plan towards the Circular Economy (2015), the European Commission (EC) has expressed its fundamental interest to substantially improve the resource efficiency of the European economy and enable the transition towards the Circular Economy (CE). This policy push has meanwhile been complemented by some quite ambitious national programmes for RE and CE and institutional advances but it is not yet bound to targets or mandatory reporting. Against this background, the objective of this paper is to give a comprehensive overview of the current policy frameworks at EU and a selection of MSs and provide insights into the elements shaping policy processes. The analytical framework relies on three essential interconnected components: the policy framework, the economic incentive system and economic side policies which are relevant in the context of RE and CE and actor constellations. The paper does this looking at the interface between EU-MSs. The analysis is based on different empirical surveys in which the policy development is observed and discussed (EEA 2011, 2016a, 2016b, EIO 2013, 2014, 2016) and a comprehensive review of legislative and policy frameworks at the EU and selected MSs, undertaken as part of the project POLFREE (Policy option for a Resource-Efficient Economy) (Domenech et al., 2014, Bahn-Walkowiak et al., 2014). The analysis reveals that policy frameworks for RE/CE are complex and fragmented as competing goals and visions reduce effectiveness of measures. The paper makes recommendations as to how EU and MS policies could improve RE in a coordinated way, but recognizes that achieving such coordination will be challenging in the current political context.

Type: Article
Title: Transition Towards a Resource Efficient Circular Economy in Europe: Policy Lessons From the EU and the Member States
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.11.001
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.11.001
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Resource efficiency; Circular economy; Policy frameworks; Policy mixes; Resource policy; System of economic incentives
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment > Bartlett School Env, Energy and Resources
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10038665
Downloads since deposit
561Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item