In the context of the data needs for EU policies in economic activities related to circular economy, climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation and bioeconomy, in 2019 Eurostat initiated a project implemented by Prognos and DevStat to develop a method that allows deriving key economic variables on these activities, which can be used as a framework also for other transition sectors.

This Prognos study contracted by the European Commission and Eurostat, and published in 2023, is a description of a generic conceptual framework to define various sectors of the environmental economy, identify activities, and analyse data by using different data sources (e.g. national or regional data).

Other documents produced under the same project can be consulted here.

This white paper examines China's transition to a circular economy.

A new plan for China’s circular economy (CE) was set out in the 14th Five-Year Plan 2021-2025. Circular Innovation Lab's previous paper on China’s Circular Economy Policies: Review and Reflection argued that there has been significant improvement in environmental aspects in China. It also identified challenges in the implementation of past five-year plans, such as coordination challenges, uneven and unsustainable development, and lack of research.

This paper builds on those findings to address the way forward in China's CE transition, including challenges and opportunities.

More than 140 million SMEs make up a significant part of China's economy and technological innovation.

However, they are also responsible for significant environmental issues, with most environmental regulation violations in China being incurred by SMEs. This paper investigates how SMEs can help China transition to a circular economy by harnessing their potential for technology innovation and flexibility in adopting circular practices. By looking into the development characteristics of Chinese SMEs, it highlights the implications for SME-related policies and management and emphasises the need for collaboration between businesses, NGOs and individuals.

By tapping into their strengths, SMEs can play a vital role in delivering the successful transition to a circular economy in China.

The circular economy was introduced in China’s policies in 2002 and has evolved into a national strategy and a fundamental pillar of the economy. However, while the efforts so far are worth celebrating, issues such as coordination challenges, uneven development, unsustainable success, and a lack of research are still undermining China's circular development.

This paper builds a primary framework by reviewing the development of China's circular economy policy. The paper consists of a policy review, the implementation and the corresponding outcome, challenge identification, framework establishment and application.

This paper - part of the A Circular Economy Vision series - follows one of Circular Innovation Lab's previous analyses of the potential effects of the European Critical Raw Materials Regulation (ECRMR) on developing economies.

It focuses on the EU’s domestic critical raw material (CRM) markets, revealing how the current hyperfocus of the policy on extraction, processing and recycling is not applicable to all identified CRMs. By analysing the limits of the ECRMR as it stands, the paper argues that a supporting structure of circular economy legislation could promote a successful ECRMR for all CRMs, not just those that could benefit from recycling infrastructure.

The paper provides detailed policy recommendations for each CRM where data allow.

As the world transitions to green energy and greater technology use, critical raw materials (CRMs) are the new frontier of economic and political disputes.

The EU has recognised this threat to supply chains, passing the European Critical Raw Materials Regulation to help stabilise EU access to CRMs. Published in March 2023, the regulation seeks to improve EU extraction, processing and recycling capacity with minimal reliance on other states. However, the EU has limited sources of many CRMs, and so strategic projects in third countries will be utilised to ensure that EU demand is met.

This paper discusses the possible impact of this regulation on developing economies, exploring how they will be affected by strategic projects, shifting EU import demand, and circularity incentives.