Problematising Value Retention for a Circular Economy: Dilemmas and New Value Balancing Principles

Abstract

The circular economy is a viable alternative for our current economy; while scholarly work and policy documents problematise current principles and practices, the desirable changes are often treated as fitting in natural transition pathways. Until now, the circular economy has failed to realise its transformative potential, in practice representing at best a matter of laboriously weighing different and seemingly opposite sets of values. What are the building blocks in terms of value creation and retention, and how to upscale new value-balancing practices to a system level? This contribution problematises the concept of value in a fragmented circular transition landscape by drawing on narrative-based and transdisciplinary approaches, and their potential consequences for governing the circular economy.