6 - Closing the Loop: Circular Economy Strategies for Urban and Regional Systems

As cities and regions continue to grow, so do the challenges associated with resource use, pollution and waste generation, climate changes, health and biodiversity loss. The transition from a linear to a circular economy provides unique opportunities to tackle these socio-ecological challenges by rethinking urban and regional systems in ways that can minimize waste, circulate products and materials, regenerate nature and contribute to the well-being of citizens. The transition towards a more circular economy requires, among others, innovative approaches in the design and planning of urban and regional systems, circular business models and governance, cross-sectoral collaboration across value chains, and robust methods, metrics and tools to assess and monitor potential environmental, economic, and social impacts. This track aims to gather interdisciplinary research and practical applications of circular economy in urban and regional contexts. The goal is to discuss state-of-the-art approaches, best-practices, strategies, case-studies, methods and tools that can support and inform policymakers, urban planners, businesses and civil society, to accelerate the transition towards resource-efficient, regenerative and circular cities and regions.

We welcome contributions on topics related to circular economy at urban and regional levels, including:

• Barriers and enablers to the circular economy

• Circular economy in urban design and planning

• Circular business models, circular start-ups, circular (social) innovation

• Circular supply chains

• Circular regeneration through nature-based solutions and biodiversity restoration

• Methods and metrics for monitoring and assessing of circular economy

• Policies and governance models for circular cities and regions

• Circular economy in urban and regional systems or sectors (e.g. building, product, transport)

• Sustainability transition theory and circular economy