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The circular economy (CE) model, where resources are kept "in the loop" for as long as possible through a series of reusing, remanufacturing, recycling, and recovery strategies, has been acclaimed for reducing the environmental impacts of our current economic model substantially and has therefore been supported by a wide range of policymakers as one solution to tackling climate change. However, how circular transitions in cities impact people has been rarely researched, and even less attention has been paid to the negative consequences of CE transitions. This paper presents the findings from a social impact assessment conducted in the city of Umeå, Sweden. We identified several negative impacts of a CE transition across seven social impact categories and explored three areas in depth with stakeholders in the city: employment, access to services and participation. We found that the negative impacts of the CE are perceived to be limited and that the CE interventions are mainly viewed as a win-win-win outcome, i.e., a win for the environment, the economy and people. This raises questions about the level to which societal consequences have been considered and whether all relevant stakeholders, in particular civil society, have participated in the design of the city's CE strategy. Our findings can inform other cities about possible negative consequences of CE transitions and provide insights into how to incorporate different stakeholders in the CE transition process to ensure that no one is left behind., QC 20221206, Urban Circularity Assessment Framework

Worldwide, cities are implementing circular economy (CE) strategies to reduce the resources they consume and their environmental impact. However, the evidence of the intended and unintended social consequences of the transition to “circular cities” is scattered. The lack of a coherent overview of the evidence on the subject can hinder effective decision-making in policy and practice. This study examines the extent to which the current literature addresses the social impacts that a transition to a CE produces in cities. We used a methodological approach related to systematic mapping to collate the evidence published over the past decade globally. The study finds that social impacts have rarely been considered in studies of circular cities, and where they have been discussed, the scope has been quite limited, only covering employment (mostly of informal sector workers) and governance practices. This scoping review highlights the need to further analyse and integrate social impact considerations into decision-making connected to transitions towards circular cities., QC 20211101

The transition towards a circular economy (CE) is increasingly recognized as a promising pathway to tackle pressing sustainability challenges at the city-level. Indicator-based frameworks, that is, integrated systems of indicators, are considered as useful tools for monitoring this transition. Yet, studies that map and assess such frameworks are scanty. This article addresses this gap by assessing 15 indicator-based frameworks applicable to measure circularity at the city-level. The identified frameworks were assessed using eight criteria (transparency, stakeholder engagement, effective communication, ability to track temporal changes, applicability, alignment with CE principles, validity and relevance to sustainable development). Additionally, 12 validity requirements were defined to assess to what extent the indicators in the frameworks reflect CE aspects. The assessment reveals a wide variation regarding the extent to which the frameworks match the criteria with none of them satisfying all. In addition, in terms of validity criterion, none includes indicators that fulfill all the validity requirements. Furthermore, most frameworks consist mainly of environmental indicators and only three include indicators reflecting aspects related to the four pillars of sustainable development (environmental, social, economic and governance). Further research could develop a standardized framework for measuring circularity at the city-level and improving existing frameworks., QC 20211213