2023-01-25
Dear colleagues,
The Circular Economy (CE) is a proposal for transforming the current linear model of production and consumption that encompasses a plurality of theoretical approaches, objectives, and instruments.
In recent years, the CE has been incorporated into policy agendas at different levels as a means to promote economic change towards sustainability and climate change mitigation (SDGs, European Green Pact-Circular Economy Action Plan, CE Strategies or Green Transition Strategies of countries, territories, municipalities, companies, etc.). The concepts, objectives, spheres of action and transformational ambition are very diverse.
A rigorous analysis of the foundations of the CE, the coherence between the proclaimed goals and the concrete objectives, instruments and measures put into action is a necessity. This is not only a theoretical and academic necessity, but also a practical necessity to guarantee the materialisation of ambitious real changes in the direction of truly sustainable economies.
A realistic analysis of the necessary changes and their consequences, from a social and territorial perspective, is necessary. Likewise, a realistic consideration of the diversity of starting points in different countries and territories is an essential condition for promoting a real and just transition in this direction, bearing in mind that a profound structural change must necessarily affect not only the production model but also consumption and lifestyles and, therefore, also social relations and inter-territorial and international relations.
The growing academic research on the different aspects of CE, from its conceptualisation, to its relationship with other issues or conceptual frameworks such as green growth, degrowth or post-growth, has opened debates that are still open and require new contributions. The same applies to the analysis of the different tools used to assess the circularity of the changes proposed or implemented, the different policy instruments used or to be used to promote the transition to the CE (regulatory, financial, physical measures, public procurement, industrial, agricultural and consumption policies, policy mixes, policy packages, etc.).
The discussion on the territorial and spatial dimensions of the CE, its relationship with international flows, the Global Value Chains, transport and the infrastructures used are aspects that force us to examine the relationships and contradictions between the CE and the globalisation model of recent decades.
In order to contribute to this objective, we invite you to participate in this Special Issue of the Revista Galega de Economía dedicated to the theoretical and empirical analysis of the circular economy and its relationship with sustainability, including all kinds of critical perspectives such as degrowth and post-growth.
To this end, papers will be accepted on a wide range of topics that have the circular economy as a central theme. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Conceptualisation of the Circular Economy
- Metrics applied to CE
- Impacts of the CE (economic, social, environmental)
- Empirical analyses of CE
- Circular Activities
- CE Business Models
- Eco-innovation and CE
- Technological innovation, digitalisation and CE
- Social innovation and CE
- Strategies and experiences of CE (business, sectoral, territorial)
- Circular Economy and sustainability
- CE and Degrowth
- CE and globalisation
- CE policies (regulatory, industrial, fiscal, financial, consumer, etc.)
- CE and Next-Generation funds: Critical study of strategies and projects
- CE in Galicia and other countries and territories
Deadline for the submission of manuscripts
This special issue will publish original contributions on this topic. All papers will be subject to an anonymous peer review process (double blind) carried out by experts in order to guarantee the scientific quality and relevance of the articles that are accepted for publication. The deadline is 30th June 2023.
Guest Editors:
Xavier Vence (xavier.vence@usc.es, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain)
Ángeles Pereira (angeles.pereira@usc.es, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain)
Blandine Laperche (blandine.laperche@univ-littoral.fr, Université du Littoral Côte d’Opale, France)
Mario Pansera (mario.pansera@uvigo.es, Universidade de Vigo, Spain)
