Developing Circular Pathways for aN EU Low-Carbon Transition

The CircEUlar project is a four year European Research and Innovation Action

Understand the dynamics and levers for societal transformation towards a net-zero emission circular economy

Work-Package-and-focus-area-structure-in-the-CircEUlar-project

CircEUlar is a four year European Research and Innovation Action that will develop new modelling approaches for analysing circularity from a systems perspective accounting for:

1) dematerialisation and the transition to a service-based economy to limit material stock growth;

2) lifetime extension of material stocks through repair, maintenance, reuse;

3) waste treatment and material recycling.

CircEUlar’s approach will be comprehensive, combining new data and modelling of economy-wide material stocks and flows, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and industrial value chains across interlinked sectors, with deep-dive analysis of mobility and buildings as material-intensive demand sectors. These two focus areas have large material stocks, potential for circular transformation, and strong dependence on both circular consumption and production practices.

CircEUlar will also focus on digitalisation as a potential enabler of dematerialisation and supply chain circularity.

DURATION

48 months (Starting date: 1 September 2022)

CONSORTIUM

12 organisations from 8 countries

COORDINATOR

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis

EU CONTRIBUTION

€ 4 495 434

CircEUlar is comprehensive in its modelling approaches, its scientific knowledge base, and its coverage of circular economy potentials and impacts.

CircEUlar integrates multiple fields of data, knowledge and expertise including:

- empirical analysis of firm and consumer propensities towards circular economy measures;
- industry input on process-level innovations and circular economy business models;
- modelling analysis of economy-wide material stocks and flows, and policy levers of change towards societal transformation.

CircEUlar will integrate new insights on circular economy potentials and impacts into EU and global modelling frameworks for:

- analysing alternative pathways to net-zero GHG emissions;
- testing effective policy levers for both circular production and consumption;
- assessing outcomes for climate, environment, economy and society, in line with European Green Deal objectives.

Mapping Europe’s Material Backbone: New High-Resolution Data Reveals Circular Economy Opportunities and Challenges

A new report from TU Berlin, PIK, NTNU and BOKU reveals the composition and location of Europe’s massive material stock in buildings, transport infrastructure and vehicles across the EU27, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK.

New Review: Circular Economy and Climate Mitigation

As global resource use and emissions keep rising, the circular economy (CE) is gaining traction as a strategy for avoiding waste and reducing virgin raw material demand, thereby potentially also mitigating energy demand and GHG emissions.

Backcasting for a More Circular Future: A Planner’s Perspective

Throughout the CircEUlar project, stakeholder engagement opportunities have been planned at key milestones to ensure that the research is informed, enriched and validated by practitioners. Taking advantage of the Consortium’s gathering in Berlin, research partners T6...

Shaping a Low-Carbon Future: Highlights from the CircEUlar Project Meeting in Berlin

The event was not only an opportunity to review progress and share research, but also to hold stakeholder workshops connecting the project team with external experts and policy actors.

How Extended Producer Responsibility Can Transform Material Flows in Europe

The results from CircEUlar will provide valuable insights to inform European Union circular economy policies, linking to material flows and strategies for slowing, narrowing, and closing material loops. One instrument of particular interest to the consortium is EPR.