Integrating climate change practices in a circular economy context—The perspective from chemical enterprises

Leal, W ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1241-5225, Frizzo, K ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0858-7614, Eustachio, JHPP ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6782-3904, Tsani, S ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7302-4930 and Özuyar, PG ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2505-2216 (2024) Integrating climate change practices in a circular economy context—The perspective from chemical enterprises. Sustainable Development, 32 (3). pp. 2489-2505. ISSN 0968-0802

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Abstract

This study describes the relationships between climate change and the concept of a circular economy, outlining the need for synergies within a company's context. It reports on a bibliometric analysis of the relations between climate change and circular economy, and it provides evidence and assessments based on a sample of 11 large companies in the chemical industry. The results show that there is a concern in the academic literature to discuss circular economy efforts to combat climate change, reduce carbon emissions, strengthen the supply chain, assess the life cycle of products, their environmental impact, and waste management, and identify barriers to implementing the circular economy. In addition, there is a close association between the CE concept and tackling climate change in how organisations report their practices to the stakeholders, in considering concepts of recycling, reusing, adopting renewable energy, seeking resource efficiency, and rethinking strategies. The study concludes by providing some suggestions that may assist companies in intensifying their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, combining them with more circular business models. Efforts from interested stakeholders must focus on defining CE in a more detailed manner, as well as its implementation at the different stages of production and consumption, especially in operations for which no uniform approach or common practice can be established. In this context, implications for positive social and environmental impacts by promoting a faster and more proactive climate transition in the chemical sector are presented. The novelty of this paper relies on the fact that it advances knowledge on matters related to the circular economy under a climate change context, identifying current trends and suggesting some measures which may optimise current business practices of the chemical sector.