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Circular Economy Transformations in the Production and Consumption System: Critical...
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Circular Economy Transformations in the Production and Consumption System: Critical Issues and Emerging Perspectives under the Scope of the Sustainable Development Goals

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Products and Services".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 3250

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Antonis Skouloudis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Lesvos, Greece
Interests: climate change adaptation-resilience and the economy; economic valuation of climate services; nonfinancial accounting and accountability; environmental responsibility and economic activity; sustainable development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ioannis Nikolaou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Business and Environmental Technology Economics Lab, Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, 671 00 Xanthi, Greece
Interests: corporate environmental management; corporate sustainability; corporate social responsibility; business circular economy models; environmental economics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Demetris Francis Lekkas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Environmental Engineering and Science Sector, University Hill, Xenia Building, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
Interests: environmental footprinting; analysis and simulation of environmental systems; technologies for recovery or recycling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the academic discourse on the transition from a linear to a circular economy model has pursued meaningful mechanisms for shared analytical frameworks and metrics at the interface between the economy and the environment. Circular and bio-based efforts to transform production–consumption systems and minimise environmental impacts are built around overarching principles of sustainability, waste valorisation, and ecosystem conservation. Designing and implementing relevant policies, plans, and programs, at scales from local to regional to global, as well as advancing innovative environmental technologies, will drive such closed-loop systems towards more sustainable production and consumption patterns, facilitating the more effective management of externalities from current market failures. This is particularly important as sustainability transitions towards net-zero energy levels have been estimated to offer new (global) market opportunities of USD 12Tn; meanwhile, at the same time, the socioeconomic impacts of not addressing the footprint of human activities on the environment remain far more significant. The circular economy terrain can be classified into three general analytical lenses: the micro-level (at the level of an individual enterprise), the meso-level (inter-actor cooperation in production networks; industrial symbiosis), and the macro-level (regional, municipality, city, and/or country levels). In this respect, in providing a better understanding of transitional opportunities (and challenges) arising from a circular economy, an emerging wave of studies have attempted to delineate relevant engineering- and socioeconomic-driven solutions. In an attempt to contribute to this direction, we welcome both theoretical and empirical contributions in line with a multidisciplinary approach, which may collectively provide up-to-date, fruitful, and actionable insights on pressing issues relating to relevant trends, developments, or critical aspects that warrant both scholars' attention, as well as the consideration of both decision makers and practitioners.

Dr. Antonis Skouloudis
Dr. Ioannis Nikolaou
Dr. Demetris Francis Lekkas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable production and consumption
  • circular economy and SDGs
  • waste valorisation
  • bioeconomy
  • bio-based processes and products
  • environmental technology
  • corporate environmentalism
  • corporate circularity and sustainability
  • conscious consumerism
  • cleaner production
  • circular business models
  • design for the environment
  • circular product design
  • circular metrics/indicators for business
  • circular cities and municipalities
  • industrial ecology–symbiosis
  • eco-clusters

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 5883 KiB  
Article
Value-Chain Finance in Greek Agriculture
by Paraskevi Boufounou, Nikolaos Lathiras, Kanellos Toudas and Chrisovalantis Malesios
Sustainability 2024, 16(7), 2922; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072922 - 31 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1287
Abstract
The primary sector is particularly important in Greece, especially considering the country’s current financial crisis, which has lasted since 2010. In an innovative way, this paper investigates the role of Contractual Agriculture as a tool for financing farming production costs in Greece. This [...] Read more.
The primary sector is particularly important in Greece, especially considering the country’s current financial crisis, which has lasted since 2010. In an innovative way, this paper investigates the role of Contractual Agriculture as a tool for financing farming production costs in Greece. This study presents the findings of a survey of 222 producers, almost half of whom had used the Contractual Agriculture financing tool, utilizing descriptive statistical analysis via correlation analysis, statistical tests and visual plots such as bar charts. The main findings are that financed farmers are more positive than non-financed farmers about the importance and contribution of the value-chain finance of Contractual Agriculture in covering the cost of production. It ensures an uninterrupted supply of agricultural inputs, improves the possibility of negotiating the purchase price of pesticides and achieves more satisfactory bank terms and conditions for agricultural product financing, as well as the possibility of negotiating the purchase price of pesticides. Finally, in line with previous research, this study found that younger age groups are more hesitant to use this innovative financial tool, and producers with a higher level of education are more likely to use it. This study delves into the advantages and disadvantages for banks, farmers and commercial or manufacturing enterprises involved in such contracts, and its findings offer a comprehensive understanding of the practical implications for participants in Contractual Agriculture and for regulators. Hence, it demonstrates potential areas for improvement in the implementation of Contractual Agriculture in Greece, which could contribute to the growth of the Greek primary sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy Transformations in the Production and Consumption System: Critical Issues and Emerging Perspectives under the Scope of the Sustainable Development Goals)
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17 pages, 2115 KiB  
Article
Harmonizing Sustainability Goals: Empirical Insights into Climate Change Mitigation and Circular Economy Strategies in Selected European Countries with SDG13 Framework
by Eleni Sardianou, Vasilis Nikou and Ioannis Kostakis
Sustainability 2024, 16(1), 296; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010296 - 28 Dec 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1142
Abstract
Global efforts to harmonize the sustainable development goals (SDGs) focus on understanding the nexus between carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) and the circular economy (CE). This study aims to capture variations in carbon emission performance behavior across different European countries, considering their [...] Read more.
Global efforts to harmonize the sustainable development goals (SDGs) focus on understanding the nexus between carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) and the circular economy (CE). This study aims to capture variations in carbon emission performance behavior across different European countries, considering their economic performance, population density, material footprint, and circularity rate. The analysis utilizes panel data for 14 EU countries during the period between 2000 and 2020, specifically in relation to their performance within the SDG13 Framework. Empirical analysis employs Ordinary Least Squares, Fixed Effects and Fully Modified Least Squares techniques. The findings suggest that countries with a higher efficiency in utilizing materials within a circular economy framework and higher population density tend to exhibit lower levels of climate change mitigation. Conversely, an increased material footprint corresponds to higher CO2 emissions. This aligns with the circular economy’s emphasis on minimizing resource extraction through promoting reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing. A comprehensive understanding of the CO2-CE nexus is essential for formulating effective policies aligning circularity performance with the SDG13 framework. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy Transformations in the Production and Consumption System: Critical Issues and Emerging Perspectives under the Scope of the Sustainable Development Goals)
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