The role of the circular economy and social resilience in forming the country

Abstract

The article examines the theoretical and conceptual foundations of the relationship between the circular economy and social resilience in the context of forming a country’s green competitiveness strategy. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing environmental, economic, and social challenges that require the search for new development models capable of ensuring efficient resource use, increasing the resilience of economic systems, and improving society's adaptability to crisis phenomena. The paper summarises modern scientific approaches to the interpretation of the concepts of circular economy and social resilience and identifies the main directions of research on their interconnection in contemporary academic literature. Current global trends in the development of the circular economy are analysed, particularly the dynamics of the global circularity rate and the scale of natural resource consumption. Based on statistical analysis, an imbalance between the growth of material consumption and the level of resource reuse has been identified, underscoring the need to accelerate circular transformations of economic systems. A conceptual model of the relationship among the circular economy, social resilience, and the economy's green competitiveness is substantiated. The model demonstrates the role of circular practices in increasing resource efficiency, developing local economic ecosystems, creating new jobs, and reducing environmental risks. The study identifies key mechanisms through which the circular economy contributes to the development of social resilience, including the economic resilience of the economy, economic diversification, the development of social employment, environmental stability, and institutional adaptability. It is proven that integrating circular economy principles into national and regional development strategies enhances the economy's green competitiveness by combining economic efficiency, environmental safety, and social stability. The results obtained can be used to develop strategic approaches to sustainable development and to strengthen the competitiveness of national economies amid global transformations.