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Sustainable Development Goals and Circular Economic

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 November 2024 | Viewed by 5268

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Gheorghita Dinca

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Guest Editor

Department of Finance, Accounting and Economic Theory, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500036 Brasov, Romania
Interests: economic development; green finance; circular economy; environmental economics

Prof. Dr. Mirela Camelia Baba

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Guest Editor

Department of Finance, Accounting and Economic Theory, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500036 Brasov, Romania
Interests: environmental sustainability; sustainable reporting; financial analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the actual context, sustainable economic growth, sustainable development goals (SDG’s), and circular economy are convergent and complementary issues which, if approached inside an overall strategy, can ensure a much brighter future for human civilization on this planet.

According to the definition given by the United Nations, a circular economy implies the decoupling of economic growth from the use of natural resources and inputs. The circular economy (CE) tackles climate change and other global challenges, like biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution, by decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. The growing CE interest manifests at governments’, cities’ and large multinational companies’ levels, actively exploring ways to shift to circular economy practices.

Sustainable economic growth implies, among other considerations, a rate of growth that can be maintained without creating other significant economic problems, especially for future generations. There is clearly a trade-off between rapid economic growth today, and growth in the future.

The connection between sustainable economic growth and the circular economy manifests through different aspects and components such as blue economy, green economy, orange/creative economy, purple/care economy, social and solidarity economy, yellow/yellow/attention economy, respective frugal/innovation economy.

For the developing countries, there is another important challenge, as they also have to catch up with the developed countries in terms of infrastructure, public services, housing, and institutional sectors, essential for increasing their population’s living standards. For such countries, financial, technological, institutional, and know-how support should be granted from the developed countries.

The world and the planet cannot go only partially to sustainable economic growth and circular economy, with some countries being able to and acting accordingly, whilst other countries cannot even if they want to because of different barriers.

As such, this call expects a wide range of contributions that concern the circular economy at both micro and macro-economic levels, sustainable economic growth at micro and macro levels, and reaching sustainable development goals, as well as the connections between these three concepts.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Circular economy;
Sustainable economic growth;
Recyclable and renewable resources;
Green economy;
Blue economy;
Business and circular economy;
Financing the circular economy;
Sustainable development goals.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Gheorghita Dinca
Prof. Dr. Mirela Camelia Baba
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 economic growth
recyclable and renewable resources
circular economy
green economy
blue economy
sustainable development goals

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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33 pages, 5986 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Network Structure and Shift Path Prediction of Ecological Welfare Performance in Chinese Cities—Evidence from 284 Cities

by Run Yuan, Mengjie Ren and Zhigang Li

Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5282; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135282 - 21 Jun 2024

Viewed by 365

Abstract

Ecological welfare performance (EWP) serves as a crucial measure for assessing the green development of a region. Exploring the spatial characteristics, network structure, and transfer paths of its specific stages is crucial for grasping an internal space’s EWP and optimizing urban ecological planning. This research employed a two-stage DEA model to assess the EWP of 284 Chinese cities from 2007 to 2022 and decompose it into an ecological–economic transition stage (L1) and an economic welfare transition stage (L2). Second, a social network analysis (SNA) was conducted to describe the EWP sub-stages’ network structure and construction mechanism. Finally, the transmission path process of EWP was revealed through Markov chains. It is found that (1) the overall trend of EWP is rising and then falling, with L2 as the critical constraint; (2) the network structure of the two stages is complex, dominated by industrial structure, urbanization, and healthcare level; and (3) ‘club integration’ constrains the transfer across EWP in the short term. Compared with L2, which has a lower probability of interstate transfer, L1 has a greater likelihood of transfer to a higher level. This paper provides suggestions for the optimal allocation of ecological resources in Chinese cities through the analysis of EWP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development Goals and Circular Economic)

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28 pages, 1367 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can the Circular Economy Unlock Sustainable Business Growth? Insights from Qualitative Research with Specialists in Romania

by Ana Alexandra Mocanu, Gabriel Brătucu, Eliza Ciobanu, Ioana Bianca Chițu and Anita Cornelia Szakal

Sustainability 2024, 16(5), 2031; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16052031 - 29 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1181

Abstract

Concern for sustainable development and environmental protection has become increasingly important in the business world in recent decades. Looking for business professionals who are currently implementing sustainable development practices and the principles of the circular economy might be the most meaningful approach to the time and the space we are all heading towards in the future. This study seeks to identify the motivations, obstacles, strategies, and perspectives of specialists in the integration of the circular and sustainable economy model in businesses in the Romanian context. It focuses on providing a solid basis for promoting sustainable practices and policies in the business environment, considering theoretical elements and the perspectives and experiences of specialists. In our research, qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted among diverse specialists in Romanian businesses to gain insight. The research findings indicate consistent requests for consumer education and involvement in the circular economy process and for political support and funding sources for investments in assistive technologies. This article presents viewpoints from Romanian experts, entrepreneurs, and business decision-makers on the circular economy and sustainability. Decision-makers prioritize developing and promoting sustainable products and services, emphasizing the use of recycled materials, and using renewable energy for their activities. The presented results highlight the situation in Romania and implicitly make a significant contribution to the scientific knowledge in this field. Although the study’s qualitative nature limits its generalizability, it offers valuable insights and suggests potential directions for future research on aspects related to the circular economy and sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development Goals and Circular Economic)

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16 pages, 1829 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Addressing the Trilemma of Challenges: The Need for More SC Strategic Collaborations in the UK Oil and Gas Sector

by Adekunle Oke, Oluyomi Abayomi Osobajo and Samantha Taylor

Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020570 - 9 Jan 2024

Viewed by 939

Abstract

This study conceptualises the extent of supply chain collaboration in the oil and gas (O&G) sector using the evidence from the literature and the primary data collected from supply chain practitioners across various companies in the UK O&G sector. The goal is to establish how the sector can address its traditional narrow and adversary relationships that undermine the sector’s ability to be resilient and competitive considering the volatility of global oil prices and the trilemma (i.e., energy transition, energy security, and energy diversification) of issues facing the sector. Using exploratory quantitative online surveys, data were collected from 82 supply chain practitioners across Tier 1, 2, and 3 companies in the UK O&G sector. The collected data were analysed thematically, providing deeper insights into supply chain collaboration, including its motivations and barriers in the UK O&G sector. The findings show that the pattern of collaboration in the O&G sector is transient, situational, and mostly influenced by the sector’s performance and global economic situations. The findings further show that the nature of the relationship in the O&G sector is mostly dependent on how it contributes to the performance of each business rather than the supply chain. This study argues that businesses in the oil and gas sector need to re-examine their relationships to enhance their competitiveness. It proposes that the sector should embrace strategic collaborations as the sector faces many disruptions, particularly from energy transition and the decommissioning of assets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development Goals and Circular Economic)

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13 pages, 686 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of the European Emissions Trading System’s Impact on Sustainable Development

by Giacomo Di Foggia, Massimo Beccarello and Ugo Arrigo

Sustainability 2024, 16(1), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010223 - 26 Dec 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1383

Abstract

This study explores the interaction between the emission trading system and the Sustainable Development Goals. Using an empirical analysis of a sample of European installations covered by the Emission Trading System from 2016 to 2021, we assessed how the system internalized the costs of carbon emissions across economic sectors and analyzed its impact on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The results revealed that while the increased efficiency of the emissions trading system had positive effects on environmental taxation and the reduction in economic losses due to climate change, challenges persist in natural resource use and energy dependence. This study offers new insight into the carbon ability pricing policies to properly allocate environmental costs. This study highlights the importance of integrating complementary policy instruments to strengthen effectiveness, given the link between the selected sustainable development and circular economy variables. The results provide stakeholders and policymakers with essential information for optimizing environmental policies and developing integrated approaches. If well implemented, such policies can effectively contribute to the fight against climate change and promote sustainable development by reducing social and environmental costs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development Goals and Circular Economic)

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Review

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22 pages, 5362 KiB

Open AccessReview

Toward the Circular Economy in the Aquaculture Sector: Bibliometric, Network and Content Analyses

by Margherita Masi, Felice Adinolfi, Yari Vecchio, Giulio Paolo Agnusdei and Benedetta Coluccia

Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5405; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135405 - 25 Jun 2024

Viewed by 708

Abstract

This paper offers an overview of circular economy strategies applied to the aquaculture sector. The growing challenges imposed on the sector by the strategies of the Green Deal impose new growth strategies in the name of sustainability. The scalability of these strategies is increasingly hampered by regulatory voids and by the absence of a universally accepted assessment method for measuring the impacts of current aquaculture systems. More than ever, a review of knowledge in the circular economy field is required to comprehend where the aquaculture sector is heading, and in order to make the required transition. The present review proposes a bibliometric analysis, a network analysis and a content analysis, which highlight a very new and expanding field of research. The studies were firstly analyzed from a micro (animal metabolism) to a macro perspective (policies, markets and society), emphasizing where research is still lacking. Furthermore, a second level of classification concerns the type of circularity approach proposed for the aquaculture system, which can be divided into open-loop or closed-loop strategies. Regarding the open-loop-related studies, the focus of the evaluation is devoted to the different bioeconomic values of the circularity strategies proposed for the biological flows entering and exiting the aquaculture system. The literature review offered insights into the identification of research threads that are developing around the aquaculture sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development Goals and Circular Economic)

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