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.

How often do European citizens aim to influence the government, businesses, and people around them to be more circular?

In a multi-national questionnaire study, CircEUlar’s team from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands sought to find out to what extent people engage in circular citizenship behaviours.

Building a Greener Future: Circular Economy Strategies for Climate Change Mitigation in the Built Environment

Transitioning to a circular economy model, through the reuse of materials, sustainable construction practices, and improved renovation strategies, can play a key role in climate change mitigation and the reduction of environmental impacts.

Buildings, Mobility, Digitalisation, and Household Appliances and Waste Management: Exploring the Future of Circular Economy

Over the next few weeks, CircEUlar partners T6 and IIASA will be running a series of online stakeholder workshops. The aim of these events is to explore the future of the four focus areas in a more circular economy.

Changing consumers’ habits through lifestyle changes and Extended Producer Responsibility schemes: an application to Japan

Focusing on energy-using durable goods, we assess how increasing EPR fees could alter consumption habits and boost “consumer” circular economy practices .

CircEUlar featured in a Carbon Neutrality Exhibition in Portugal

Following the successful participation at the Klima Biennale Wien and the production of a series of artworks enabling the communication of research and scientific knowledge to a boarder audience, CircEUlar will be featured in an exhibition on Carbon Neutrality at local level.

The advancement of digital applications in transportation and their potential unintended effects

A CircEUlar member of the UOXF team was invited to share insights on the direct and indirect footprint of digitalisation and participated in a panel discussion on planning urban transport infrastructure to accommodate autonomous mobility systems.

Over 5,000 participate in survey on circular consumption across five European countries

Drawing on data from the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany, this research, part of the multinational CircEUlar research project, captures activities that contribute to circularity—a key component in achieving sustainable development.

Shaping the Future: CircEUlar’s Stakeholder Engagement 2025

As 2024 draws to a close, our partner T6 Ecosystems and IIASA have been busy planning next year’s stakeholder engagement activities which will further enrich the research tasks.

How circular is people’s behavior across Europe?

Mobility, housing behaviour, and efforts to influence others to be more circular are some of the most tangible ways to observe circular behavior. Over the past two years, the CircEUlar team has collected data from over 5,000 households in five European countries to understand how circular people’s behavior currently is.

CircEUlar researchers contribute with novel research to Integrated Assessment Modeling Consortium Annual Meeting 2024

Researchers Gamze Ünlü, Alessio Mastrucci, and Volker Krey shared some of the latest findings from integrated modeling activities in the CircEUlar project with the research community.