Lerwen Liu - An Introduction to Circular Economy

The Covid-19 outbreak has exposed the fragility of the current economic model. It has severed various global and complex supply and production chains, contributing to their vulnerability. This crisis has shown again that the current linear take-use-dispose system is failing and that we need to dramatically transform our economic model to progress decisively in the transition towards a truly circular economy, where resources are maintained in the economy for longer, and waste is minimised.

This new economic model needs to be underpinned by the idea of resilience. The circular economy, by changing the way we produce and consume, can create a more performant economic model that prioritises reliability and sustainability. Europe has been working very hard in this direction over the past 5 years, leading the path towards a climate neutral, resilient circular economy.

In this context, the EU has adopted significant measures for a coordinated response to ensure the recovery and at the same put in place its European Green Deal, the flagship of President von der Leyens Commission. Such measures can also be replicated on a global scale.

The implementation of the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Planwill be two important pillars of the recovery process. The Circular Economy Action Plan (adopted in March 2020) announces initiatives for the entire life cycle of products, from design and manufacturing to consumption, repair, reuse, recycling in order to bring resources back into the economy. The aim of the action plan is to reduce the EUs consumption footprint and double the circular material use rate in the coming decade while boosting economic growth and job creation.

All sectors can benefit from this approach, investing in large-scale renovation, renewables, clean transport, sustainable products, sustainable food and nature restoration will be even more important than before. This is not only good for our environment, it is also good for our economies because it reduces dependencies by shortening and diversifying supply chains. Finally, there is also a very strong social dimension, with innovation playing a key role in enabling this historic transformation.

I look to the future now with a renewed confidence in human beings and in our capacity to craft a better world. We should use this crisis to reinvent ourselves. We should not waste it. If we want to preserve life in this planet, while at the same time, develop a sustainable and competitive economy which creates jobs, there is no other alternative than going circular.

This amazing book brilliantly covers all these areas arguing convincingly how to promote the circular economy across the board. It illustrates well the challenges we are facing, while at the same time, points out the significant societal, economic and environmental benefits which circularity entails. We have no time to lose, business as usual is not an option, and time is of the essence.

Professors Seeram Ramakrishna and Doctor Lerwen LIU should be praised for their personal and professional dedications leading the reflections on how to develop a more sustainable future for all.

We are deeply grateful to all the authors of this book for their dedication in sharing their amazing work related to circular economy.

We would like to thank Ms. Sawaros Thongkaew and Ms. Duangkamol Buaban from the STEAM Platform for their valuable infographic work for a number of chapters, especially Chaps..

Last but not the least, we express our special thanks to Dr. Giulio Manzoni (Microspace) for giving the original sketch of the cover page artwork and Miss Waricha Henchobdee (STEAM Platform) for cover page graphic design.

October 2020

This chapter gives an overview of the entire book summarizing all 29 chapters, laying out its structure and linkage of different chapters. This book is purposefully styled as an introductory textbook on circular economy (CE) for the benefit of educators and students of universities. It provides comprehensive knowledge exemplified by practices from policy, education, R&D, innovation, design, production, waste management, business, and financing around the world. The book covers sectors such as agriculture/food, packaging materials, build environment, textile, energy, and mobility to inspire the growth of circular business transformation. It aims to stimulate action among different stakeholders to drive CE transformation. It elaborates critical driving forces of CE including digital technologies; restorative innovations; business opportunities & sustainable business model; financing instruments, regulation & assessment and experiential education programs. It connects a CE transformation for reaching the SDGs2030 and highlights youth leadership and entrepreneurship at all levels in driving the sustainability transformation.