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Although the concept of circular economy is gaining increasing attention, there is a lack of tools or any agreed methodology for evaluating circularity. To date, circularity has been assessed mainly at product level, but national and regional level assessment is also essential in evaluating the effectiveness of circular economy strategies. As regions play an important role in implementing both EU and national strategies, the paper seeks to develop indicators for evaluating the circularity of material flows at regional level. In the case region of Päijät-Häme in Finland, the circular economy strategy is among the region's smart specialisation spearheads, and Päijät-Häme has a road map for moving towards a circular economy. The material flows examined in this study were phosphorous, plastics, textiles, waste wood and ash. While the region has high utilisation rates for plastics, textiles and waste wood, a significant proportion of material flows relates to energy production rather than material recycling. The present analysis highlights the difficulty of obtaining regional-level information on material flows; the available information and statistics relate mainly to waste flows or to national averages that do not necessarily reflect regional characteristics. For that reason, the indicators are based on circulation of waste materials rather than material circulation for the whole value chain from manufacturing to reuse and recycling. Nevertheless, the developed indicators provide a simple measure of circularity for regional material flows and can be further developed as more information becomes available. • Comprehensive and systematic analysis on measuring the circularity of different materials at regional level. • Development of new indicators for the measuring of circularity of material flows. • Explaining how to measure material circularity taking into account production, reuse or recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Circular Economy (CE) is a concept that has gained considerable global attention during the past decade amongst private and public sector actors, politicians and policymakers, citizens and media, and scientific communities. Water and water-related ecosystems, despite their vital role in practically all human activities, have been largely missing from conceptualisations and scientific definitions of the CE. Therefore, this paper presents a definition and concept for a water-smart CE that incorporates water and water-related ecosystems. A water-smart CE would (i) reduce losses of water, energy and valuable substances, (ii) improve water efficiency and productivity, (iii) reuse treated wastewater, and (iv) better protect and lessen pressure upon water-related (both aquatic and groundwater) ecosystems. The paper also touches upon the potential risks of the CE to water-related ecosystems. Policy instruments that could be used to promote a transition towards a water-smart CE in Finland – the setting of the present study – and beyond were also sought. Additionally, actors who provide and/or use water-smart CE solutions were interviewed to shed light on their perceptions about the drivers of, barriers to and potential policy instruments for promoting a transition towards a water-smart CE. Based on the analyses of policy instruments and stakeholder interviews, a mixed use of economic, regulatory and informative instruments is suggested to support the desired transition towards a water-smart CE in Finland and elsewhere. [Display omitted] • A concept for a water-smart Circular Economy (CE) is introduced. • Elements of a water-smart CE are presented. • Instruments to support the transition to a water-smart CE are analysed. • Drivers for and barriers to the transition to a water-smart CE are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses how Finland's circular economy policy attends not only to the promotion and acceleration of innovation, but also the reconfiguration of resource intensive systems. Socio-technical transitions research has historically focused on niche innovation processes. Yet recently, increasing attention has been placed on policy processes that seek to destabilise and disrupt incumbent systems and practices. Furthermore, the social justice aspects of system phase out policies have been brought to the fore. Our qualitative analysis of Finland's circular economy policy programme draws upon the transformative innovation policy and sustainability transitions policy-mix literatures, extending the transformative outcome framework to include outcomes related to the repercussions of regime destabilisation, coordination and tilting the socio-technical landscape. Our analysis shows that Finland's circular economy policy programme aims predominantly at niche stimulation and acceleration, with little emphasis on the regime destabilisation or coordination. Overall, the policy proposals aim toward a strategy of progressive system change, an orientation shaped by the country's corporatist approach to policy making and pre-existing plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses how Finland's circular economy policy attends not only to the promotion and acceleration of innovation, but also the reconfiguration of resource intensive systems. Socio-technical transitions research has historically focused on niche innovation processes. Yet recently, increasing attention has been placed on policy processes that seek to destabilise and disrupt incumbent systems and practices. Furthermore, the social justice aspects of system phase out policies have been brought to the fore. Our qualitative analysis of Finland's circular economy policy programme draws upon the transformative innovation policy and sustainability transitions policy-mix literatures, extending the transformative outcome framework to include outcomes related to the repercussions of regime destabilisation, coordination and tilting the socio-technical landscape. Our analysis shows that Finland's circular economy policy programme aims predominantly at niche stimulation and acceleration, with little emphasis on the regime destabilisation or coordination. Overall, the policy proposals aim toward a strategy of progressive system change, an orientation shaped by the country's corporatist approach to policy making and pre-existing plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent global diffusion of circular economy regulatory policy packages (CERPPs) raises questions over their extent, composition, and potential effectiveness. While research into circular economy (CE) regulation is growing, a dearth of analyses of the optimal design of CE policy packages presents a clear gap in the literature. This paper therefore surveys current waste management policy to identify the degree to which circular economy principles are being translated into public policy globally. Examining resource use and waste management policy in 60 countries, the paper first provides a snapshot of the global spread of CE policy packages. Secondly, the assessment framework is applied to three case studies of recent CE policy packages from Finland, Greece and South Korea. These cases fall some way short of theoretical optimality, suggesting that long-term CERPP effectiveness is questionable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]