Abstract

Circular economy (CE) offers a pathway towards sustainable, closed-loop resource systems, but widespread adoption across industrial sectors is limited by fragmented knowledge and varied implementation approaches. This article reviews sector-specific challenges and opportunities associated with implementing and measuring the benefits of CE strategies. Literature mapping highlights progress towards CE implementation in food, chemicals, metals, consumer electronics, and building and infrastructure sectors, and towards measuring CE outcomes via systems analysis methods like life cycle assessment (LCA) and material flow analysis (MFA). However, key challenges were also identified that point to future research and demonstration needs. First, research on CE adoption typically exists as case studies that are closely linked to a sector. But literature has not effectively synthesized knowledge gained across domains, particularly understanding underlying barriers to CE and where they occur in product life cycles. Second, research on CE outcomes often applies well-established methods without adapting for unique attributes of CE systems. A key opportunity is in integrative methodological advances, such as expanded use of consequential LCA, development of physical Input–Output tables, and integrating MFA with dynamical models. Finally, regardless of sector, new CE business models are seen as a critical enabler to realize success, but theoretical frameworks in literature are not well-tested in practice. The review also highlights opportunities to harness other emerging trends, such as big data, to provide better information for system modelers and decision-oriented insight to guide CE stakeholders.

Graphic abstract

中文翻译：

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主题探索循环经济实施中的部门和跨领域挑战

摘要

循环经济（CE）提供了通往可持续，闭环资源系统的途径，但是由于零散的知识和多样化的实施方法，整个工业部门的广泛采用受到限制。本文回顾了与实施和衡量CE战略的收益相关的特定领域的挑战和机遇。文献图突出显示了在食品，化工，金属，消费电子产品以及建筑和基础设施领域实施CE的进展，以及通过系统分析方法（例如生命周期评估（LCA）和物料流分析（MFA））测量CE成果的进展。但是，还确定了关键挑战，指出了未来的研究和示范需求。首先，关于采用CE的研究通常作为与某个行业紧密联系的案例研究而存在。但是，文献并没有有效地综合跨领域获得的知识，尤其是了解对CE的潜在障碍以及它们在产品生命周期中发生的位置。其次，对CE结果的研究通常会采用公认的方法，而无法适应CE系统的独特属性。一个关键的机会是方法学的综合发展，例如扩大使用相应的LCA，开发物理输入-输出表以及将MFA与动态模型集成。最后，无论哪个部门，新的CE商业模式都被视为实现成功的关键推动力，但文献中的理论框架在实践中并未经过充分测试。审查还重点介绍了利用其他新兴趋势的机会，例如大数据，

图形摘要