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Transdisciplinary resource monitoring is essential to prioritize circular economy strategies in cities

Transdisciplinary resource monitoring is essential to prioritize circular economy strategies in... Environ. Res. Lett.17(2022)021001 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac44c6 PERSPECTIVE Transdisciplinary resourcemonitoringisessentialtoprioritize OPEN ACCESS circular economy strategies incities RECEIVED 1 2 3,4 5,6,∗ 8September2021 AnnaPetit-Boix ,DefneApul ,ThomasWiedmann andSinaLeipold  REVISED ChairofSocietalTransitionandCircularEconomy,UniversityofFreiburg,TennenbacherStr.4,79106Freiburgi.Br,Germany 14December2021 DepartmentofCivilandEnvironmentalEngineering,UniversityofToledo,2801W.BancroftSt.,Toledo,OH43606, ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION UnitedStatesofAmerica 20December2021 SustainabilityAssessmentProgram(SAP),SchoolofCivilandEnvironmentalEngineering,UNSWSydney,Sydney,NewSouthWales, PUBLISHED 2052,Australia 18January2022 ISA,SchoolofPhysics,TheUniversityofSydney,Sydney,NewSouthWales,2006,Australia DepartmentofEnvironmentalPolitics,HelmholtzCentreforEnvironmentalResearch—UFZ,Permoserstr.15,04318Leipzig,Germany Originalcontentfrom ChairofEnvironmentalPolitics,UniversityofJena,Bachstr.18k,07743Jena,Germany thisworkmaybeused Authortowhomanycorrespondenceshouldbeaddressed. underthetermsofthe CreativeCommons E-mail:sina.leipold@ufz.de Attribution4.0licence. Keywords:circulareconomy, sustainabledevelopmentgoals, urban, resourcemanagement Anyfurtherdistribution ofthisworkmust maintainattributionto theauthor(s)andthetitle ofthework,journal citationandDOI. 1.Introduction perspective,wepositthatamorefocusedeffortcanbe made by aligning circular economy monitoring with Amongthemanyconceptsinvolvedincurrenturban theSDGs.Byconnectingtheurbancirculareconomy transformations, the circular economy has become and the SDGs, one can identify the challenges and particularly prominent. Many cities have taken up opportunities of these two political frameworks and the resource management discourse to design circu- defineanactionplantomonitorandprioritizecircu- lareconomyactionplans,whichaimtoreduceurban larstrategies. environmental impacts while generating new jobs, Weacknowledgethatscientificandpoliticalmon- socialwellbeingandroomforinnovation.Atthesame itoring frameworks do not often follow the same time, there is a sense that ‘circular economy con- rationalegivenmethodologicaland/orpracticalcon- ceptsaremoreoftencelebratedthancritiqued’(Geng straints. For this reason, we discuss how to take et al 2019). Indeed, cities worldwide are committed stock of existing concepts, methods and indicators to becoming more circular in their resource use, but stemming from sustainability research fields, such as whetherornottheiractionshelpthemtoreducetheir industrial ecology, that can help monitor resource environmental impacts is unclear. Without adequate use while connecting urban circular economy and monitoring tools and a basis for prioritizing, cit- SDG agendas. We examine what policy suggests to ies could be investing their limited organizational, be suitable indicators as opposed to what needs to financial and human capital on circular strategies be measured according to established academic con- that might not minimize the pressure on natural cepts. Figure 1 illustrates this process. We identify resources.Infact,academicshaverepeatedlypointed resource-relatedSDGs,suggestedindicatorsandtheir out the lack of a homogeneous monitoring frame- coverage of the urban circular economy. In paral- work for the circular economy (e.g. Helander et al lel, we determine what needs to be measured fol- 2019,Moragaetal2019).Prioritizingstrategiesbased lowing a quantitative approach to urban metabol- on their environmental savings is thus no easy task ism to study resource use in a given city (steps 1–4) foracademics,letalonefordecision-makers.Itseems and the environmental benefits and impacts arising then reasonable that cities use the tools at hand to from circular strategies (steps 5 and 6). By doing monitor progress of their strategies. Some of these so, we can critically assess both the lessons learned tools stem from policy, such as the UN Sustain- fromtheSDGframeworkandthepotentialstruggles able Development Goals (SDGs), which are interna- in meeting the monitoring needs stemming from tionally endorsed and come with their own indic- sustainability frameworks. We envision the ultimate atorframework,withseveralgoalstargetingresource goal of this critical assessment as a learning process management (UN 2015). What can we learn from for both science and policy that materializes in the existing monitoring needs and suggested indicators need for actual dialog and interaction between both to build robust prioritization frameworks? In this parties. ©2022TheAuthor(s). PublishedbyIOPPublishingLtd Environ. Res. Lett.17(2022)021001 APetit-Boixetal Figure1. Adialogtowardsmonitoringneeds.ThefigurecouplestheSDGindicatorframeworkwiththemonitoringneedsfora resource-efficientcirculareconomyincities.Steps1–6refertothequantitativeapproachneededtoidentifyhotspotsbasedon territorialandfootprintindicatorsandassessscenariostoprioritizecircularstrategies.Steps1–3arebasedonKennedyetal (2014). 2.LessonsfromtheSDGs decision-makersmightsticktomeasurableindicators basedonpoliticalprioritizationtogiveanimpression In order for cities to identify the direction of their of progress (Zinkernagel et al 2018, Hansson et al efforts, those SDGs targeting resource management 2019).Forinstance,Shepherdetal’s(2015)surveyon can define a starting point of action. Of the 17 African agriculture highlighted that climate data are SDGs, nine (SDGs 2, 6–9, 11, 12, 14 and 15) dir- needed but barely collected to conduct assessments, ectly refer to water, energy, food, materials and/or whereas great efforts are invested in areas perceived land and its ecosystems, which are to be monitored aslessneeded,suchasbiodiversityandpovertydata. through 34 different indicators (UN 2017). One of Similarly,thecirculareconomyissubjecttovary- the struggles of SDG localization in cities is, how- inginterpretationsanda lackofacademicconsensus ever, the general and overarching formulation of the (Leipold et al 2021). The main narratives revolve goalsandtargets.Commongoalformulationsinclude around closed material cycles, extended material such terms as ‘improve’, ‘substantially increase/ valuethroughtime,regenerativesystemsandcleaner reduce’ or ‘achieve sustainable management’. The production,amongothers.WearguethatsomeSDGs SDGsaremeanttoleaveroomforadaptingthegoals mirrorthetraditionalviewsonthecirculareconomy to particular contexts based on ‘governance through as a recycling strategy. Target 12.5 is a clear example, goals’ (Biermann et al 2017). Although this provides calling for reduced ‘waste generation through pre- flexibility to design action plans, we maintain that vention, reduction, recycling and reuse’, which is to it can hinder systematic monitoring and priorit- be measured using recycling rates. However, many ization. While academics might ‘seek data for the cities have envisioned a wide array of strategies sake of having them’ (Shepherd et al 2015), urban labeled as ‘circular’ involving industries, consumers, 2 Environ. Res. Lett.17(2022)021001 APetit-Boixetal infrastructure and urban planning (Petit-Boix and Giventheglobalimpactsofresourcetrade,alife-cycle Leipold 2018), meaning that recycling is only one and global perspective is required to unveil potential of many actions. Resource monitoring must not be tradeoffs, which can be accomplished through foot- limited to recycling rates and thus a more holistic print accounting (Wiedmann and Allen 2021). Only approach is needed to cover the various urban agen- throughafootprintlenscantheSDGindicatorframe- dasforthecirculareconomyandSDGs. work become a comprehensive tool for monitoring not only the environmental hotspots of urban circu- larity but also any strategy developed in nations and 3.Revisitingurbanmonitoringneeds regionstoapproachsustainabledevelopment.Ofthe availablefootprintfamilyindicators,suchasthewater Given the limitations and opportunities offered by bothpolicyconcepts,weneedtoidentifywhatneeds footprintorecologicalfootprint(Vanhametal2019), onlythematerialfootprintissuggestedtoaccountfor to be measured to capture the environmental effects of circular strategies and their contribution to the national material consumption and trade in SDGs 8 and12.Itisproblematicthattheurbancarbonfoot- SDGs.Here,theestablishedapproachofurbanmeta- bolism helps to understand the urban structure and print(Chenetal2019),awidelyknownmetric,isnot included in the indicator framework. Only Indicator its relationship to natural resources and to select suitable indicators. The literature already provides a 9.4.1‘CO emissionperunitofvalueadded’refersto territorialgreenhousegasemissionswhenaddressing robust framework for conducting such assessment. In figure 1, we include the three layers of informa- industrializationandcleanerproduction(UN2017). We argue that the SDGs provide useful goals but tion suggested by Kennedy et al (2014) to monitor resourceuseincities:landuseandcover(1),resource lack accurate indicators for cities. Territorial indicat- ors, however limited, can serve as a step for calcu- stocks and flows (2), and the status of urban util- ities and existing circular initiatives (3), which ulti- lating urban footprints and planning scenarios for a circulareconomy,astheyprovideinformationabout matelyleadtoahotspotidentification(4).Usingthis information,onecanproceedwithscenarioplanning resourcedemand(e.g.‘7.3.1Energyintensity’).Ana- lyzing the metabolism of cities can provide a struc- (5)usingacircularapproachtoevaluatetheimpacts and benefits of these strategies on resource use (6) turedunderstandingofresourceandservicedemands and be coupled with existing consumption-based and finally prioritize desirable actions. Urban meta- bolism studies can be, however, a burdensome pro- approaches. Footprint analysis, however, requires a higher level of expertise and more comprehensive cess. Tracing resource stocks and flows, identifying critical sectors and mapping existing circular actions datacollectionthanterritorialindicators(Wiedmann and Allen 2021). In fact, integrating a broader set to estimate their potential effects on resource use is essential.Nevertheless,transparentandaccuratedata of footprint indicators into the SDG framework demands additional knowledge on the interactions are scarce and constitute a barrier to the monitoring ofthecirculareconomy(Gengetal2019)forscience between natural resources, such as water, energy, food, materials and land. To understand the implic- andpracticealike. This focus on the urban metabolism also high- ations of the so-called ‘resource nexus’, one must be aware of the tradeoffs resulting from certain goals lightsexistinglimitationsintheSDGindicatorframe- work. Researchers and practitioners are confron- (Bleischwitzetal2018).Forexample,adecreasedcar- bonfootprintmightcomeatthecostofanincreased ted with two types of indicators. We call ‘territorial indicators’ the measurements included in layers 1– waterfootprint.Toenablethisholisticevaluation,we callforamoretransdisciplinaryapproachtoSDGand 3 of the urban metabolism scheme (figure 1), as they give an overview of the resource consumption circularplanningincities. and production within the city boundaries, as well as the main socioeconomic and physical structures 4.Apathwaytowardstransdisciplinary of the territory. Territorial indicators can already monitoringandprioritization provide local decision-makers with initial hints on the main resource hotspots and actions needed. For Monitoring and prioritizing circular strategies will example, the energy and material flows of 27 mega- remainutopicifacademicandpracticalstrugglesare cities (e.g. New York, Tokyo and Moscow) have not resolved. Footprint accounting requires a time already been quantified along with their relationship investment and level of expertise that local admin- tourbanformandbuiltarea,amongotherparamet- istrations alone are unable to manage. At the same ers(Kennedyetal2015).Mostoftheindicatorsavail- time,academicswiththerequiredknowledgestruggle able in the SDG framework could be labeled as ter- withdatacollectionandimplementation.Whilelocal ritorial. For instance, Indicator 11.7.1 measures the decision-makers have the tools to plan and imple- ‘averageshareofthebuilt-upareaofcitiesthatisopen ment circular strategies, scientists can inform about spaceforpublicuseforall’. theireffectsonresourceuse.Researchhasshownthat However, reporting territorial indicators alone transdisciplinarityand‘real-lifeexperiments’incities does not cover the environmental rucksack of cities. arecentralinmonitoringandprioritizationeffortsas 3 Environ. Res. Lett.17(2022)021001 APetit-Boixetal Figure2.Monitoringandprioritizationthroughtransdisciplinarity.Integrationoftheresourcemonitoring,urbancircular economyandSDGsintotransdisciplinaryresearchbasedonreal-lifeexperimentationtoprioritizecircularstrategies.Thefigure displaysthestepsinvolvedinthetransdisciplinaryprocess(SchneidewindandScheck2013). theyenablemutuallearninganddatacollection,and circular strategies and collect data on changes in generate ‘socially robust knowledge’ (Schneidewind resourceuse.Attheend,circularstrategiescanbepri- andScheck2013,ScholzandSteiner2015). oritizedbymatchingthepre-definedSDGswithdata We propose a pathway that we view as necessary ontheurbanmetabolism. for monitoring and prioritizing circular strategies in Through this policy-science dialog, we seek to cities. Our stance is that adjusting the SDG frame- encourage the integration of existing sustainabil- work is not the solution if we want transformation ity research and transdisciplinary frameworks. We to happen in the short term. Instead, we should strongly argue against creating a new framework. take what we have ready at hand—existing trans- Instead, we propose concrete steps to reimagine disciplinary and monitoring tools—to define suit- proven and tested methods that can make know- able indicators, collect data and test new strategies. ledgeaccessibletourbandecision-makersandscient- As transdisciplinarity, urban metabolism and foot- ists alike. For an optimal use, more demonstrative printaccountingarematuremethodsfromthesocial researchandcollaborationisneededtohelpmonitor and environmental sciences, they can help us gener- resource use through footprint and territorial indic- aterobustactionplansfortherelativelyyoungSDGs atorsandthusprioritizestrategiesthatarerelevantat and the circular economy. Experiences of co-created apracticallevel.Wethereforeencouragethefunding monitoring frameworks using footprint indicators, and development of more transdisciplinary projects however, still seem to be rare, but there are calls for dealingwithnotonlytheurbancirculareconomybut monitoring the SDGs through territorial and foot- also strategies dedicated to improving resource and printindicatorswithinasociallearningenvironment materialefficiencymoregenerally. involvingscienceandpolicy(Bringezuetal2016). As the main struggle is data collection, we also Our proposal is to integrate resource monitor- call for action from existing initiatives to facilit- ing, SDGs and urban circular economy into real- ateexperimentationandprioritizationprocesses.For lifeexperimentationthroughtheso-called‘transition instance, several cities belonging to CE100 or the cycle’ (Schneidewind and Scheck 2013) (figure 2). ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability net- Thisprocess,whichcanbeappliedinanyurbancon- work could coordinate to generate agreed data col- text, involves four steps, i.e. problem analysis, vision lection standards. This and other existing networks development,real-lifeexperiments,anddiffusionand are a fundamental source of information and exper- learning(SchneidewindandScheck2013).Theprob- iences in terms of monitoring. They might then lem analysis aims to assess the current relationship hint at additional practical struggles of integrating between the city and natural resources in order to territorial and footprint indicators into the work identify environmental hotspots. It will serve as the schemes of the city’s administrative bodies. We need basisfordevelopingavision,i.e.identifyinggoalsand moreexamplesoftransdisciplinarityincitiesaround targets of local interest within the SDG framework. the world that follow monitoring and prioritization Real-life experiments can then be conducted to test approachessuchastheonediscussedinthisarticle. 4 Environ. Res. Lett.17(2022)021001 APetit-Boixetal Dataavailabilitystatement BringezuS,PotoˇcnikJ,SchandlH,LuY,RamaswamiA, SwillingMandSuhS2016Multi-scalegovernanceof sustainablenaturalresourceuse-challengesand Nonewdatawerecreatedoranalyzedinthisstudy. opportunitiesformonitoringandinstitutional developmentatthenationalandgloballevelSustainability Acknowledgments ChenG,ShanY,HuY,TongK,WiedmannT,RamaswamiA, GuanD,ShiLandWangY2019Reviewoncity-levelcarbon The authors thank the German Federal Ministry accountingEnviron.Sci.Technol.535545–58 GengY,SarkisJandBleischwitzR2019Howtoglobalizethe of Education and Research for the financial sup- circulareconomyNature565153–5 port of this research as part of the research group HanssonS,ArfvidssonHandSimonD2019Governancefor ‘Circulus—Opportunities and challenges of trans- sustainableurbandevelopment:thedoublefunctionofSDG ition to a sustainable circular bio-economy’ (Grant indicatorsAreaDev.Policy4217–35 HelanderH,Petit-BoixA,LeipoldSandBringezuS2019Howto Number 031B0018). D Apul thanks the National monitorenvironmentalpressuresofacirculareconomy:an Science Foundation (OISE 1559394). T Wiedmann assessmentofindicatorsJ.Ind.Ecol.231278–91 acknowledges funding from the Australian Research KennedyCAetal2015Energyandmaterialflowsofmegacities Council(GrantNumberDP190102277).Theauthors Proc.NatlAcad.Sci.1125985–90 KennedyC,StewartID,IbrahimN,FacchiniAandMeleR thank Amelia Pope for the professional language 2014Developingamulti-layeredindicatorsetfor editing. urbanmetabolismstudiesinmegacitiesEcol.Indic. 477–15 Authorcontributions LeipoldSetal2021Lessons,narrativesandresearchdirectionsfor asustainablecirculareconomyResearchSquare(availableat: www.researchsquare.com) A Petit-Boix conceived the research idea, conducted MoragaG,HuysveldS,MathieuxF,BlenginiGA,AlaertsL,van conceptual research and took the lead in writing the AckerK,deMeesterSandDewulfJ2019Circulareconomy manuscript.APetit-Boix,SLeipoldandDApulcon- indicators:whatdotheymeasure?Resour.Conserv.Recycl. 146452–61 tributed to the conceptualization of the article and Petit-BoixAandLeipoldS2018Circulareconomyincities: the discussion of the framework. S Leipold, D Apul reviewinghowenvironmentalresearchalignswithlocal andTWiedmannreviewedthemanuscriptandwro- practicesJ.Clean.Prod.1951270–81 te/contributedtospecificpassageswithliterature.All SchneidewindUandScheckH2013DieStadtals‘Reallabor’für SysteminnovationenSozialeInnovationundNachhaltigkeit authorsgavetheirfinalapprovaltothemanuscript. PerspektivensozialenWandels(Wiesbaden:Springer) edJRückert-Johnpp229–48 ORCIDiDs ScholzRWandSteinerG2015Therealtypeandidealtypeof transdisciplinaryprocesses:partI—theoreticalfoundations Sustain.Sci.10527–44 AnnaPetit-Boix https://orcid.org/0000-0003- ShepherdK,HubbardD,FentonN,ClaxtonK,LuedelingEand 2048-2708 deLeeuwJ2015Policy:developmentgoalsshouldenable ThomasWiedmann https://orcid.org/0000-0002- decision-makingNature532152–4 6395-8887 UN2015Transformingourworld:the2030agendafor sustainabledevelopment.A/RES/70/1(availableat: SinaLeipold https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5245- https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda) 183X UN2017Globalindicatorframeworkforthesustainable developmentgoalsandtargetsofthe2030agendafor References sustainabledevelopment(availableat:https://unstats. un.org/sdgs/indicators/indicators-list/) BiermannF,KanieNandKimRE2017Globalgovernanceby VanhamDetal2019Environmentalfootprintfamilytoaddress goal-setting:thenovelapproachoftheUNSustainable localtoplanetarysustainabilityanddeliverontheSDGsSci. DevelopmentGoalsCurr.Opin.Environ.Sustain. TotalEnviron.693133642 26–2726–31 WiedmannTandAllenC2021CityfootprintsandSDGsprovide BleischwitzR,SpataruC,VanDeveerSD,ObersteinerM,vander untappedpotentialforassessingcitysustainabilityNat. VoetE,JohnsonC,Andrews-SpeedP,BoersmaT,HoffH Commun.123758 andvanVuurenDP2018Resourcenexusperspectives ZinkernagelR,EvansJandNeijL2018ApplyingtheSDGsto towardstheUnitedNationsSustainableDevelopmentGoals cities:businessasusualoranewdawn?Sustainability Nat.Sustain.1737–43 103201 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Environmental Research Letters IOP Publishing

Transdisciplinary resource monitoring is essential to prioritize circular economy strategies in cities

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Abstract

Environ. Res. Lett.17(2022)021001 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac44c6 PERSPECTIVE Transdisciplinary resourcemonitoringisessentialtoprioritize OPEN ACCESS circular economy strategies incities RECEIVED 1 2 3,4 5,6,∗ 8September2021 AnnaPetit-Boix ,DefneApul ,ThomasWiedmann andSinaLeipold  REVISED ChairofSocietalTransitionandCircularEconomy,UniversityofFreiburg,TennenbacherStr.4,79106Freiburgi.Br,Germany 14December2021 DepartmentofCivilandEnvironmentalEngineering,UniversityofToledo,2801W.BancroftSt.,Toledo,OH43606, ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION UnitedStatesofAmerica 20December2021 SustainabilityAssessmentProgram(SAP),SchoolofCivilandEnvironmentalEngineering,UNSWSydney,Sydney,NewSouthWales, PUBLISHED 2052,Australia 18January2022 ISA,SchoolofPhysics,TheUniversityofSydney,Sydney,NewSouthWales,2006,Australia DepartmentofEnvironmentalPolitics,HelmholtzCentreforEnvironmentalResearch—UFZ,Permoserstr.15,04318Leipzig,Germany Originalcontentfrom ChairofEnvironmentalPolitics,UniversityofJena,Bachstr.18k,07743Jena,Germany thisworkmaybeused Authortowhomanycorrespondenceshouldbeaddressed. underthetermsofthe CreativeCommons E-mail:sina.leipold@ufz.de Attribution4.0licence. Keywords:circulareconomy, sustainabledevelopmentgoals, urban, resourcemanagement Anyfurtherdistribution ofthisworkmust maintainattributionto theauthor(s)andthetitle ofthework,journal citationandDOI. 1.Introduction perspective,wepositthatamorefocusedeffortcanbe made by aligning circular economy monitoring with Amongthemanyconceptsinvolvedincurrenturban theSDGs.Byconnectingtheurbancirculareconomy transformations, the circular economy has become and the SDGs, one can identify the challenges and particularly prominent. Many cities have taken up opportunities of these two political frameworks and the resource management discourse to design circu- defineanactionplantomonitorandprioritizecircu- lareconomyactionplans,whichaimtoreduceurban larstrategies. environmental impacts while generating new jobs, Weacknowledgethatscientificandpoliticalmon- socialwellbeingandroomforinnovation.Atthesame itoring frameworks do not often follow the same time, there is a sense that ‘circular economy con- rationalegivenmethodologicaland/orpracticalcon- ceptsaremoreoftencelebratedthancritiqued’(Geng straints. For this reason, we discuss how to take et al 2019). Indeed, cities worldwide are committed stock of existing concepts, methods and indicators to becoming more circular in their resource use, but stemming from sustainability research fields, such as whetherornottheiractionshelpthemtoreducetheir industrial ecology, that can help monitor resource environmental impacts is unclear. Without adequate use while connecting urban circular economy and monitoring tools and a basis for prioritizing, cit- SDG agendas. We examine what policy suggests to ies could be investing their limited organizational, be suitable indicators as opposed to what needs to financial and human capital on circular strategies be measured according to established academic con- that might not minimize the pressure on natural cepts. Figure 1 illustrates this process. We identify resources.Infact,academicshaverepeatedlypointed resource-relatedSDGs,suggestedindicatorsandtheir out the lack of a homogeneous monitoring frame- coverage of the urban circular economy. In paral- work for the circular economy (e.g. Helander et al lel, we determine what needs to be measured fol- 2019,Moragaetal2019).Prioritizingstrategiesbased lowing a quantitative approach to urban metabol- on their environmental savings is thus no easy task ism to study resource use in a given city (steps 1–4) foracademics,letalonefordecision-makers.Itseems and the environmental benefits and impacts arising then reasonable that cities use the tools at hand to from circular strategies (steps 5 and 6). By doing monitor progress of their strategies. Some of these so, we can critically assess both the lessons learned tools stem from policy, such as the UN Sustain- fromtheSDGframeworkandthepotentialstruggles able Development Goals (SDGs), which are interna- in meeting the monitoring needs stemming from tionally endorsed and come with their own indic- sustainability frameworks. We envision the ultimate atorframework,withseveralgoalstargetingresource goal of this critical assessment as a learning process management (UN 2015). What can we learn from for both science and policy that materializes in the existing monitoring needs and suggested indicators need for actual dialog and interaction between both to build robust prioritization frameworks? In this parties. ©2022TheAuthor(s). PublishedbyIOPPublishingLtd Environ. Res. Lett.17(2022)021001 APetit-Boixetal Figure1. Adialogtowardsmonitoringneeds.ThefigurecouplestheSDGindicatorframeworkwiththemonitoringneedsfora resource-efficientcirculareconomyincities.Steps1–6refertothequantitativeapproachneededtoidentifyhotspotsbasedon territorialandfootprintindicatorsandassessscenariostoprioritizecircularstrategies.Steps1–3arebasedonKennedyetal (2014). 2.LessonsfromtheSDGs decision-makersmightsticktomeasurableindicators basedonpoliticalprioritizationtogiveanimpression In order for cities to identify the direction of their of progress (Zinkernagel et al 2018, Hansson et al efforts, those SDGs targeting resource management 2019).Forinstance,Shepherdetal’s(2015)surveyon can define a starting point of action. Of the 17 African agriculture highlighted that climate data are SDGs, nine (SDGs 2, 6–9, 11, 12, 14 and 15) dir- needed but barely collected to conduct assessments, ectly refer to water, energy, food, materials and/or whereas great efforts are invested in areas perceived land and its ecosystems, which are to be monitored aslessneeded,suchasbiodiversityandpovertydata. through 34 different indicators (UN 2017). One of Similarly,thecirculareconomyissubjecttovary- the struggles of SDG localization in cities is, how- inginterpretationsanda lackofacademicconsensus ever, the general and overarching formulation of the (Leipold et al 2021). The main narratives revolve goalsandtargets.Commongoalformulationsinclude around closed material cycles, extended material such terms as ‘improve’, ‘substantially increase/ valuethroughtime,regenerativesystemsandcleaner reduce’ or ‘achieve sustainable management’. The production,amongothers.WearguethatsomeSDGs SDGsaremeanttoleaveroomforadaptingthegoals mirrorthetraditionalviewsonthecirculareconomy to particular contexts based on ‘governance through as a recycling strategy. Target 12.5 is a clear example, goals’ (Biermann et al 2017). Although this provides calling for reduced ‘waste generation through pre- flexibility to design action plans, we maintain that vention, reduction, recycling and reuse’, which is to it can hinder systematic monitoring and priorit- be measured using recycling rates. However, many ization. While academics might ‘seek data for the cities have envisioned a wide array of strategies sake of having them’ (Shepherd et al 2015), urban labeled as ‘circular’ involving industries, consumers, 2 Environ. Res. Lett.17(2022)021001 APetit-Boixetal infrastructure and urban planning (Petit-Boix and Giventheglobalimpactsofresourcetrade,alife-cycle Leipold 2018), meaning that recycling is only one and global perspective is required to unveil potential of many actions. Resource monitoring must not be tradeoffs, which can be accomplished through foot- limited to recycling rates and thus a more holistic print accounting (Wiedmann and Allen 2021). Only approach is needed to cover the various urban agen- throughafootprintlenscantheSDGindicatorframe- dasforthecirculareconomyandSDGs. work become a comprehensive tool for monitoring not only the environmental hotspots of urban circu- larity but also any strategy developed in nations and 3.Revisitingurbanmonitoringneeds regionstoapproachsustainabledevelopment.Ofthe availablefootprintfamilyindicators,suchasthewater Given the limitations and opportunities offered by bothpolicyconcepts,weneedtoidentifywhatneeds footprintorecologicalfootprint(Vanhametal2019), onlythematerialfootprintissuggestedtoaccountfor to be measured to capture the environmental effects of circular strategies and their contribution to the national material consumption and trade in SDGs 8 and12.Itisproblematicthattheurbancarbonfoot- SDGs.Here,theestablishedapproachofurbanmeta- bolism helps to understand the urban structure and print(Chenetal2019),awidelyknownmetric,isnot included in the indicator framework. Only Indicator its relationship to natural resources and to select suitable indicators. The literature already provides a 9.4.1‘CO emissionperunitofvalueadded’refersto territorialgreenhousegasemissionswhenaddressing robust framework for conducting such assessment. In figure 1, we include the three layers of informa- industrializationandcleanerproduction(UN2017). We argue that the SDGs provide useful goals but tion suggested by Kennedy et al (2014) to monitor resourceuseincities:landuseandcover(1),resource lack accurate indicators for cities. Territorial indicat- ors, however limited, can serve as a step for calcu- stocks and flows (2), and the status of urban util- ities and existing circular initiatives (3), which ulti- lating urban footprints and planning scenarios for a circulareconomy,astheyprovideinformationabout matelyleadtoahotspotidentification(4).Usingthis information,onecanproceedwithscenarioplanning resourcedemand(e.g.‘7.3.1Energyintensity’).Ana- lyzing the metabolism of cities can provide a struc- (5)usingacircularapproachtoevaluatetheimpacts and benefits of these strategies on resource use (6) turedunderstandingofresourceandservicedemands and be coupled with existing consumption-based and finally prioritize desirable actions. Urban meta- bolism studies can be, however, a burdensome pro- approaches. Footprint analysis, however, requires a higher level of expertise and more comprehensive cess. Tracing resource stocks and flows, identifying critical sectors and mapping existing circular actions datacollectionthanterritorialindicators(Wiedmann and Allen 2021). In fact, integrating a broader set to estimate their potential effects on resource use is essential.Nevertheless,transparentandaccuratedata of footprint indicators into the SDG framework demands additional knowledge on the interactions are scarce and constitute a barrier to the monitoring ofthecirculareconomy(Gengetal2019)forscience between natural resources, such as water, energy, food, materials and land. To understand the implic- andpracticealike. This focus on the urban metabolism also high- ations of the so-called ‘resource nexus’, one must be aware of the tradeoffs resulting from certain goals lightsexistinglimitationsintheSDGindicatorframe- work. Researchers and practitioners are confron- (Bleischwitzetal2018).Forexample,adecreasedcar- bonfootprintmightcomeatthecostofanincreased ted with two types of indicators. We call ‘territorial indicators’ the measurements included in layers 1– waterfootprint.Toenablethisholisticevaluation,we callforamoretransdisciplinaryapproachtoSDGand 3 of the urban metabolism scheme (figure 1), as they give an overview of the resource consumption circularplanningincities. and production within the city boundaries, as well as the main socioeconomic and physical structures 4.Apathwaytowardstransdisciplinary of the territory. Territorial indicators can already monitoringandprioritization provide local decision-makers with initial hints on the main resource hotspots and actions needed. For Monitoring and prioritizing circular strategies will example, the energy and material flows of 27 mega- remainutopicifacademicandpracticalstrugglesare cities (e.g. New York, Tokyo and Moscow) have not resolved. Footprint accounting requires a time already been quantified along with their relationship investment and level of expertise that local admin- tourbanformandbuiltarea,amongotherparamet- istrations alone are unable to manage. At the same ers(Kennedyetal2015).Mostoftheindicatorsavail- time,academicswiththerequiredknowledgestruggle able in the SDG framework could be labeled as ter- withdatacollectionandimplementation.Whilelocal ritorial. For instance, Indicator 11.7.1 measures the decision-makers have the tools to plan and imple- ‘averageshareofthebuilt-upareaofcitiesthatisopen ment circular strategies, scientists can inform about spaceforpublicuseforall’. theireffectsonresourceuse.Researchhasshownthat However, reporting territorial indicators alone transdisciplinarityand‘real-lifeexperiments’incities does not cover the environmental rucksack of cities. arecentralinmonitoringandprioritizationeffortsas 3 Environ. Res. Lett.17(2022)021001 APetit-Boixetal Figure2.Monitoringandprioritizationthroughtransdisciplinarity.Integrationoftheresourcemonitoring,urbancircular economyandSDGsintotransdisciplinaryresearchbasedonreal-lifeexperimentationtoprioritizecircularstrategies.Thefigure displaysthestepsinvolvedinthetransdisciplinaryprocess(SchneidewindandScheck2013). theyenablemutuallearninganddatacollection,and circular strategies and collect data on changes in generate ‘socially robust knowledge’ (Schneidewind resourceuse.Attheend,circularstrategiescanbepri- andScheck2013,ScholzandSteiner2015). oritizedbymatchingthepre-definedSDGswithdata We propose a pathway that we view as necessary ontheurbanmetabolism. for monitoring and prioritizing circular strategies in Through this policy-science dialog, we seek to cities. Our stance is that adjusting the SDG frame- encourage the integration of existing sustainabil- work is not the solution if we want transformation ity research and transdisciplinary frameworks. We to happen in the short term. Instead, we should strongly argue against creating a new framework. take what we have ready at hand—existing trans- Instead, we propose concrete steps to reimagine disciplinary and monitoring tools—to define suit- proven and tested methods that can make know- able indicators, collect data and test new strategies. ledgeaccessibletourbandecision-makersandscient- As transdisciplinarity, urban metabolism and foot- ists alike. For an optimal use, more demonstrative printaccountingarematuremethodsfromthesocial researchandcollaborationisneededtohelpmonitor and environmental sciences, they can help us gener- resource use through footprint and territorial indic- aterobustactionplansfortherelativelyyoungSDGs atorsandthusprioritizestrategiesthatarerelevantat and the circular economy. Experiences of co-created apracticallevel.Wethereforeencouragethefunding monitoring frameworks using footprint indicators, and development of more transdisciplinary projects however, still seem to be rare, but there are calls for dealingwithnotonlytheurbancirculareconomybut monitoring the SDGs through territorial and foot- also strategies dedicated to improving resource and printindicatorswithinasociallearningenvironment materialefficiencymoregenerally. involvingscienceandpolicy(Bringezuetal2016). As the main struggle is data collection, we also Our proposal is to integrate resource monitor- call for action from existing initiatives to facilit- ing, SDGs and urban circular economy into real- ateexperimentationandprioritizationprocesses.For lifeexperimentationthroughtheso-called‘transition instance, several cities belonging to CE100 or the cycle’ (Schneidewind and Scheck 2013) (figure 2). ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability net- Thisprocess,whichcanbeappliedinanyurbancon- work could coordinate to generate agreed data col- text, involves four steps, i.e. problem analysis, vision lection standards. This and other existing networks development,real-lifeexperiments,anddiffusionand are a fundamental source of information and exper- learning(SchneidewindandScheck2013).Theprob- iences in terms of monitoring. They might then lem analysis aims to assess the current relationship hint at additional practical struggles of integrating between the city and natural resources in order to territorial and footprint indicators into the work identify environmental hotspots. It will serve as the schemes of the city’s administrative bodies. We need basisfordevelopingavision,i.e.identifyinggoalsand moreexamplesoftransdisciplinarityincitiesaround targets of local interest within the SDG framework. the world that follow monitoring and prioritization Real-life experiments can then be conducted to test approachessuchastheonediscussedinthisarticle. 4 Environ. Res. Lett.17(2022)021001 APetit-Boixetal Dataavailabilitystatement BringezuS,PotoˇcnikJ,SchandlH,LuY,RamaswamiA, SwillingMandSuhS2016Multi-scalegovernanceof sustainablenaturalresourceuse-challengesand Nonewdatawerecreatedoranalyzedinthisstudy. opportunitiesformonitoringandinstitutional developmentatthenationalandgloballevelSustainability Acknowledgments ChenG,ShanY,HuY,TongK,WiedmannT,RamaswamiA, GuanD,ShiLandWangY2019Reviewoncity-levelcarbon The authors thank the German Federal Ministry accountingEnviron.Sci.Technol.535545–58 GengY,SarkisJandBleischwitzR2019Howtoglobalizethe of Education and Research for the financial sup- circulareconomyNature565153–5 port of this research as part of the research group HanssonS,ArfvidssonHandSimonD2019Governancefor ‘Circulus—Opportunities and challenges of trans- sustainableurbandevelopment:thedoublefunctionofSDG ition to a sustainable circular bio-economy’ (Grant indicatorsAreaDev.Policy4217–35 HelanderH,Petit-BoixA,LeipoldSandBringezuS2019Howto Number 031B0018). D Apul thanks the National monitorenvironmentalpressuresofacirculareconomy:an Science Foundation (OISE 1559394). T Wiedmann assessmentofindicatorsJ.Ind.Ecol.231278–91 acknowledges funding from the Australian Research KennedyCAetal2015Energyandmaterialflowsofmegacities Council(GrantNumberDP190102277).Theauthors Proc.NatlAcad.Sci.1125985–90 KennedyC,StewartID,IbrahimN,FacchiniAandMeleR thank Amelia Pope for the professional language 2014Developingamulti-layeredindicatorsetfor editing. urbanmetabolismstudiesinmegacitiesEcol.Indic. 477–15 Authorcontributions LeipoldSetal2021Lessons,narrativesandresearchdirectionsfor asustainablecirculareconomyResearchSquare(availableat: www.researchsquare.com) A Petit-Boix conceived the research idea, conducted MoragaG,HuysveldS,MathieuxF,BlenginiGA,AlaertsL,van conceptual research and took the lead in writing the AckerK,deMeesterSandDewulfJ2019Circulareconomy manuscript.APetit-Boix,SLeipoldandDApulcon- indicators:whatdotheymeasure?Resour.Conserv.Recycl. 146452–61 tributed to the conceptualization of the article and Petit-BoixAandLeipoldS2018Circulareconomyincities: the discussion of the framework. S Leipold, D Apul reviewinghowenvironmentalresearchalignswithlocal andTWiedmannreviewedthemanuscriptandwro- practicesJ.Clean.Prod.1951270–81 te/contributedtospecificpassageswithliterature.All SchneidewindUandScheckH2013DieStadtals‘Reallabor’für SysteminnovationenSozialeInnovationundNachhaltigkeit authorsgavetheirfinalapprovaltothemanuscript. 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Journal

Environmental Research LettersIOP Publishing

Published: Feb 1, 2022

Keywords: circular economy; sustainable development goals; urban; resource management

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