A systemic approach to transitions towards circular economy: The case of Brighton and Hove

To date, the literature on the circular economy has been dominated by closed-loop industrial practices, circular products, and business models. Lack of systemic perspective in the circularity debate limited the understanding of multi-actor and multi-pattern transitions. In this paper, we apply a co-evolutionary framework to investigate key dimensions of a socio-technical system -ecosystems, technologies, businesses, institutions, and user practices-in the city of Brighton and Hove (United Kingdom). We present the causal interaction between these systems based on the outcomes of semi-structured interviews with the local actors and documentary analysis of relevant policies and strategies. Exploring how each system evolves under own dynamics and influenced by the dynamics in the others leads us to identify the main drivers and barriers of a circular economy in the city. Our findings underline the necessity of systems-level change with a holistic vision, consideration of place-specific factors and engagement of multiple actors for a successful transition.