The geography of circularity missions: A cross-country comparison of circular economy policy approaches in the Global North and Global South

Abstract

The Circular Economy (CE) is promoted as a sustainable model of economic growth and a quintessential example of a “sustainability mission.” Despite expected co-benefits in job creation, waste reduction and poverty alleviation, the Global South is largely missing from both missions and CE literature. Employing cross-disciplinary insights from environmental policy and the geography of sustainability transitions, this paper documents the diffusion of CE missions and compares CE policy development between the Global North and Global South. Analysing 61 national-level CE strategic policy documents, we focus on the policy levers, CE strategies, materials and sectors. We show that CE mission development is widespread in the Global North and developing in the Global South. Despite linkages to other national-level social and sustainability agendas, CE policy instrument choice shows limited place-sensitivity and geographical variation. Where the Global South is replicating the Global North's CE trajectory, the transformative potential of circularity missions is threatened.