Jul 2026· Aadim Journal of Multidisciplinary Research· Vol 2, pp. 121-131· 0 citations· 22 references
Abstract
This paper provides anecdotes and examples on a wide range of topics related to sustainability, circular economy, local governance, and community development in Nepal, and illustrates the disconnect between global concepts like the circular economy and the ground realities of rural Nepal. It discusses the origins of the circular economy concept, its benefits, and the challenges likely to be faced while transitioning from a linear model of production and consumption to one that is cyclical. The role of local governments in adopting new practices like waste management and the potential pitfalls of introducing modern solutions without considering traditional practices and local contexts have been analyzed within the complexities surrounding the circular economy, especially in relation to practicality in implementation in rural areas. Being based on secondary literatures, and the author’s own observation-based reflection, the article also discusses how imported ideas and practices, if not aligned with local traditions and resources, can lead to unintended consequences and challenges. The critique of initiatives that prioritize superficial modernization over addressing core issues like sustainable waste management or preserving traditional farming practices has also been discussed.
This study analyzes the application of circular economy principles in the Brazilian fashion industry, identifying challenges in the transition from the linear "take-make-waste" model to a regenerative one. Through a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive approach, using bibliographic and documentary research, this paper discusses the historical evolution of the sector, from basic protection to the accelerated dynamics of fast fashion, as well as its socio-environmental impacts. Although strategies such as reuse, upcycling, and product life-cycle extension are already present in the national market, their implementation is limited by high costs, greenwashing risks, a lack of robust public policies, and low consumer awareness (43% purchase monthly, while only 22% dispose of garments correctly). The results indicate that current progress is sporadic and depends on technological innovation, infrastructure, and cultural shifts. The study contributes to the fields of Administration and Sustainability by addressing gaps regarding circularity in the Brazilian context, reinforcing the importance of conscious consumption and socio-environmental responsibility.
Anne da Conceição Moura, Antonio Luiz de Medina Filho, Marcela Lobo Francisco et al.· Revista de Estudos Interdisc...· 0 citations
This paper examines how new policy concepts are taken up in practice, focusing on the Circular Economy of Water (CEW) in the Netherlands. Drawing on 20 semi-structured interviews with practitioners from different governance levels, regions, and sectors, we analyze how CEW is interpreted, reshaped, and mainstreamed into existing water-governance structures. We identify six lock-ins that constrain CEW's implementation and three mechanisms through which it is mainstreamed. Our findings show that lock-ins and mainstreaming mechanisms are closely interconnected: While CEW adapts to existing systems, it can also reinforce them, at times leading to rebound effects or supporting business-as-usual practices. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the dilemmas related to CEW governance, offering insights to enhance sustainable water management practices and transformative changes. We argue that design-oriented approaches can inform how CEW is imagined and implemented, helping to reconsider whether it addresses the causes of unsustainable practices or offers temporary fixes.
Noelle M C G Lasseur, D. Beukers, K. Holstead et al.· Ambio· 0 citations
Despite growing policy interest, global circularity is declining — falling to just 6.9% in 2025. This paper argues that a key reason is the absence of a concrete vision of what a circular economy would look like as a physical place. To provide that vision, the argument traces a line across three bodies of work. Bauwens et al.’s (2020) scenarios of bottom-up sufficiency and peer-to-peer circularity offer the greatest potential for community empowerment. When pursued through a systematic application of circular economy principles to food, water, energy, and housing, these scenarios converge on a settlement model: the Circular Economy Village (CEV). Instantiating bottom-up sufficiency, the CEV is a walkable, mixed-use precinct in which resources circulate locally as a self-reinforcing system — eliminating waste, regenerating nature, and providing food, water, energy, and housing through integrated, community-governed infrastructure. Embodying peer-to-peer circularity, a network of CEVs can scale to constitute a global circular economy consistent with Herman Daly’s steady-state economy and the economy in equilibrium anticipated by the Limits to Growth Report (1972). The paper introduces a three-dimensional model of circularity — temporal, spatial, and relational — and proposes that a circular future can look like a network of Circular Economy Villages.
Steven Liaros· Journal of Circular Economy· 0 citations
This article interrogates the potential of the circular economy as a structuring paradigm for ecological transition and sustainable development in Tunisia, with particular emphasis on the management of construction and demolition waste (CDW). Situating the analysis within critiques of the dominant linear economic model, it elucidates how the circular reconfiguration of material flows may contribute to reducing environmental externalities, preserving natural capital, and stimulating territorially embedded forms of green employment. The study adopts a multidimensional and interdisciplinary methodological framework, combining a critical review of academic literature, the analysis of institutional and policy reports, qualitative interviews with key public and private stakeholders, and an in- depth case study of the RE-MED project, implemented notably in the Greater Tunis region. The study's results demonstrate the development of novel socio-technical configurations for reclaiming and recycling construction and demolition waste (CDW). Concurrently, they underscore how deeply entrenched institutional inertia, regulatory deficiencies, economic hurdles, and socio-cultural pushback continue to obstruct the widespread systemic adoption of circular economy models. The article concludes by advancing a set of policy-relevant recommendations aimed at reinforcing governancearchitectures, consolidating recycling value chains, and fostering the societal embedding of circular economy principles within the Tunisian context.
M. Ellouze· Advances in Social Sciences...· 0 citations
Engagement of local communities and policy coherence across different sectors are essential to ensure that no one is left behind in the green transition. Coastal communities face many challenges that are difficult to adapt to, including those associated with blue growth. In this article, outcomes from two Horizon Europe projects were used to explore barriers to applying the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) principle. A policy coherence framework was applied to assess the level of coherence between policies identified to create conflicts and disempowerment in an Eastern Limassol case study. The coastal community is industrialised yet still supports a diversity of habitats and endangered species. The region is subject to multiple, overlapping EU policy streams, creating policy incoherence and local tensions. The article highlights the blue economy as a paradigm that inevitably will lead to conflicts between ecological, social, and economic priorities, and how the LNOB principle can be essential in bringing these together in a holistic approach. However, there are several limitations to the principle’s applicability in the current policy landscape. The main mechanism for equitable transition in the blue economy, the Just Transition, is not applicable under many circumstances, leaving no strict legal framework for implementation of equity and equality in the transition of coastal areas. The mainstream understanding of the blue economy is still dominated by the hope of win-win-win scenarios with limited transparency about the trade-offs and conflicts at stake, and few mechanisms that offer legal consequences.
Jonas Kyrönviita, Maria Hadjimichael, Paulina Ramírez‐Monsalve· Ocean and Society· 0 citations
The circular economy (CE) is widely viewed as a key global lever for sustainable resource use. However, CE conceptualizations have focused mostly on high resource use in the Global North, largely neglecting the drivers, solutions and enablers of circularity in the socio-economic contexts of the Global South. Here, based on a systematic review of 183 peer-reviewed articles, we assess how CE manifests in the Global South. We find circular solutions to be considerably more bottom-up, centring around community-level and often informal practices rather than the top-down, policy and industrially driven activities that dominate the Global North-informed CE literature. CE motivations similarly differ, being primarily rooted in socio-economic needs and cultural practices rather than environmental concerns. Finally, CE enablers are often based on socially and technically adaptive approaches rather than technological innovation. These differences reveal that inclusive circular pathways for sustainable development depend strongly on context, suggesting the need for more flexible and empirically grounded CE concepts.
Lucas Straub, P. Trotter, E. Onsongo et al.· Nature Sustainability· 0 citations