scholarly journals A Critical Review of EU Key Indicators for the Transition to the Circular Economy

Author(s):  
Roxana Lavinia Pacurariu ◽  
Sorin Daniel Vatca ◽  
Elena Simina Lakatos ◽  
Laura Bacali ◽  
Mircea Vlad

The objective of this paper is to analyze the extent to which the system of indicators that is used in the Monitoring Framework for the transition to the circular economy (CE) is efficient and relevant in their contribution to the sustainable development of European communities. The fundaments of the transition framework and the main characteristics of the circularity indicators are presented. A critical review was performed in order to fulfill the objective of analyzing the current indicators. It is concluded that the indicators in the current framework are (as a selection from a very broad range of indicators theoretically proposed and with estimated practical applicability) limited from the perspective of circularity only to waste generation and recycling processes containing recyclable materials, without including important circularity indicators related to the prolonging and extending the life cycle of products and materials. This paper proposes and defines such an indicator, based on the consideration of the fundamental scalars describing economy, mass, energy, time, and value, respectively. The indicator is described and its applicability in all the phases of the economy is estimated.

Holzforschung ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 74 (11) ◽  
pp. 1071-1078
Author(s):  
Jie Chu ◽  
Anuj Kumar

AbstractThe implementation of circular economy in wood industries is an effective way for future sustainable development. The wood industries in China are not in the direction of circular economy approach due to less availability of assessment/calculation data of pollutants as per life cycle assessment (LCA) criteria. The present study focuses on the calculation of emission and pollutants from wood industries as per LCA; the emission and pollution data were collected from fiberboard Medium-density fiberboard (MDF), plywood and particleboard (PB) production. The comparative analysis of dust emissions, industrial waste gases and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were performed among three wood industries. The results revealed that the fiberboard industry was the highest emitter of dust, industrial waste gas and COD; and particleboard industry was the least emitter. Further, results indicated that pollutant index of wood industries were significantly changed between 2015 and 2017; the industrial waste water discharge increased five folds and the COD, dust and industrial gases increased two times. This study provides with the emission and pollutants data of wood industries as per LCA to promote the sustainable development for circular and low carbon economics.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
José Miguel Rodríguez-Antón

No one has the slightest doubt about the enormous potential that the African continent has as a tourist destination. The diversity of cultures, the great biodiversity that it possesses, the multiple artistic manifestations that it offers and the beauty of the seas that surround it are key pieces in continuing to promote its capacity as a tourist attraction, which is approximately 60 million tourists per year who generate seven percent of exports and employment. However, in order for Africa to take off, it is necessary that a number of conditions related to security, health, education, eradication of poverty, reduction of inequalities, peace and justice and quality of its waters, among others, are intimately related to the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda. In this context, we maintain that the implementation of the Circular Economy in Africa will be a key tool in this process of improving the sustainability of this continent in its three aspects, economic, social and environmental, and raising its level of tourism competitiveness.


2012 ◽  
Vol 512-515 ◽  
pp. 1568-1573
Author(s):  
Fei Zhang ◽  
Yan Bing Wang

At the beginning of the new century, China’s economic growth accelerated. The demand of coal as a basic energy is keeping increase [1]. With the progress of the mining technology, changed the past low efficiency, backward mode of production, but there are still many adverse factors that restrict to the sustainable development of coal industry in China [2]. Through detailed analysis of the current situation of China coal industry, find out existing problems of Chinese coal industry sustainable development, and using the basic principle [3], to find suitable to Chinese coal industry sustainable development scientific proposition -- Circular Economy [4], using circular economy this scientific model to guide Chinese coal enterprises transformation and development, making Chinese coal enterprises realize sustainable development.


2010 ◽  
Vol 113-116 ◽  
pp. 2287-2291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Yue ◽  
Zhong Wu Lu

In order to achieve a sustainable development of aluminum industry, aluminum flow analysis for the life cycle of aluminum products in China was necessary. Aluminum flow in the aluminum products life cycle of 2003-2007 in China has been analyzed, from which the following data were resulted. Resources self-support ratio in alumina production, aluminum production and the aluminum industry dropped, increased and leveled off in the period 2003-2007, respectively. Self-produced aluminum scrap use ratio was in the range 5-7%, and the situation of the aluminum scrap lacking state can’t be settled in case of fast increment of aluminum production. Proposals for the sustainable development of aluminum industry in China were put forward.


2010 ◽  
Vol 26-28 ◽  
pp. 20-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Jun Wang ◽  
Chang Huan Tu

Enterprise sustainable development emphasizes coordination of the development of economy, environment and society. The life cycle cost based on the sustainable development controls the engineering cost as well as environmental pollution and damage. The thermal power plant burns large amount of fossil fuels and discharge pollutants which cause serious pollution. Therefore the pollution control and ecological conservation make up important parts of construction and production cost, both of which are key parts of life cycle cost. This paper uses analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation to estimate the life cycle cost and helps the enterprise to make social or temporal comparison and potentiality exploitation and to improve its sustainable development capability.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarmila Šebestová ◽  
Włodzimierz Sroka

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a “major engine” of economic growth and socioeconomic development, and reaching many sustainable development goals (SDG). They should make the SDGs a prominent selling point to demonstrate why consumers should buy from them to reduce waste and enhance recycling. If a consumer sees an SME engaged in the SDGs (goal 8,9 and 12), it will be motivated for further support. Given these facts the paper compares Czech and Polish approaches to the circular economy by quantitative evaluation based on primary research (Czechia, 210 respondents) and qualitative context comparison in Poland. Our research has confirmed that there are differences in both countries in relation to the sustainable development goals, with SMEs decisions in the Czech SMEs sector being on level business sustainability 1.0, and that in Poland being below 1. Additionally, Czech entrepreneurs have more knowledge and practice in “green” methods than do Poland’s.


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