Melles, G. The Circular Economy Transition in Australia: Nuanced Circular Intermediary Accounts of Mainstream Green Growth Claims. Sustainability2023, 15, 14160.
Melles, G. The Circular Economy Transition in Australia: Nuanced Circular Intermediary Accounts of Mainstream Green Growth Claims. Sustainability 2023, 15, 14160.
Melles, G. The Circular Economy Transition in Australia: Nuanced Circular Intermediary Accounts of Mainstream Green Growth Claims. Sustainability2023, 15, 14160.
Melles, G. The Circular Economy Transition in Australia: Nuanced Circular Intermediary Accounts of Mainstream Green Growth Claims. Sustainability 2023, 15, 14160.
Abstract
Australia has recently declared its commitment to a circular economy. Policy and initiatives to date have focused on recycling and waste management and research to date has highlighted the need for more ambitious policy, clearer definitions, collaboration, and consensus on goals. There are also calls from some government and non-business sectors for more inclusive circular models, including Doughnut Economics. In a context of competing mainstream circular economy and inclusive circular society discourses, circular intermediary organizations and their representatives are key to achieving change. Compared to the green growth business narrative of policy and industry media, intermediary representatives are aware of the diversity of challenges and solutions for Australia. Based on semi-structured interviews with twenty representatives of circular intermediaries in Australia and thematic discourse analysis, this study finds circular economy, circular society and de-growth discourses informing themes about government, business, growth, consumers, society, and policy present and future. The study concludes with recommendations for a more holistic policy and practice beyond the current circularity for circularity’s sake.
Environmental and Earth Sciences, Sustainable Science and Technology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
