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Description
The CIRCLE project aims to develop an interdisciplinary perspective on the circular economy in the Baltic-Nordic region by integrating insights from sociology, economics, philosophy, political science, and environmental science, and examining its all three - social, economic, and environmental - sustainability dimensions. The emphasis is placed on the use of byproducts (bio-resources) generated as part of primary production in agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture within their sub-sectors and across the sectoral boundaries to explore the underlying models of socially- and commercially-driven collaborations between the involved parties and the factors facilitating and hindering the development and wider use of circular practices and collaborative arrangements thereof. The project attends to both supply and demand side of this type of inter- and cross-sectoral circularity of bio-resources and their secondary application in production by investigating producers’ considerations, consumers’ views, and policy implications. This is to be achieved with the application of complementary methods such as literature review, media analysis, qualitative individual and group interviews, national stakeholder and scenario workshops, and cost-benefit analysis. The project will contribute to the growing academic, public, and policy debate at both national and European level on sustainable resource use, and will offer evidence-based knowledge on existing and potential solutions within and across the three sectors under investigation to highlight the role and models of cooperation between different market, civic, and public actors in ensuring effective implementation of circularity. The project’s consortium brings together five academic partners from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Norway allowing to build new partnerships, advance interdisciplinary collaboration, and contribute to inter-organisational learning and researchers’ training.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to develop an interdisciplinary perspective on the circular economy in the Baltic-Nordic region by integrating insights from sociology, economics, philosophy, political science, and environmental science. The study focused on the beneficial reuse of biobased by-products (residues and waste) from primary production in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, either within the sector itself, in one of the three bio-economy sectors, or in other sectors of the economy.
Further use of available by-products is an essential principle of the circular economy. This principle means that instead of disposing of bio-based by-products or waste, companies and scientists alike – independently or in collaboration with others – look for ways to find further economic uses for these bio-resources. The CIRCLE project aligned with a number of objectives that are important for society and the environment: making more efficient use of bio-resources, creating new products that society needs and that are more environmentally friendly, reducing waste and reducing the use of virgin resources. As an interdisciplinary project, the CIRCLE research focused on collaborative mechanisms of sustainable use of by-products and waste in agriculture, forestry and aquaculture.
CIRCLE researchers explored the business models of companies in the Baltic and Nordic regions that are already actively involved in the further use of various by-products. The research also analysed the broader context – the motives for sustainable use of bioresources and the factors that promote and hinder the development and wider use of bioresource circularity practices and collaborative actions towards it.
The CIRCLE project had a wide range of mutually reinforcing activities. Firstly, the team explored theoretical approaches to understand how a circular bioeconomy works and what bioresource flows exist and are most commonly researched. This was supported by media analysis which showed that the circular economy is largely seen as having future potential. At the same time, complementary but distinct concepts such as “circularity” and “bioeconomy” are not always separated. Moreover, the media tend to view circularity as part of the bioeconomy or broader green trends. As a result, the understanding of circularity as a distinct component economic activity may be hampered in the wider society. Secondly, 150 examples of circular bioresource use in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Norway, and later (extending the scope of the project) Ukraine were identified and collected and a typology of initiatives was developed. Thirdly, 12 case studies – specific companies (three in each country, except Ukraine) – were selected from a range of examples of circular bioresources applications for in-depth analysis – both sociological, analyzing the conditions of their formation and underlying business models, and socio-economic, carrying out a socio-economic analysis of the costs and benefits of the technological solutions used. Fourth, consumer interviews were conducted on people’s general knowledge of the circular bioeconomy, its principles and how these principles are applied in their daily lives. Fifth, several activities were aimed at developing policy recommendations for the implementation of circular bioeconomy principles in the project partner countries. These included modelling future scenarios and the necessary steps to be taken to achieve what experts consider to be the most important 2030 objectives in this field. The policy briefs were developed through an integrated analysis of information from all project activities. In the final phase of the project, the research team was working on scientific publications on the key findings of the CIRCLE project, as well as organizing international webinars on various topics related to the circular use of bioresources. The project finished with an international conference “Promoting collaboration for a sustainable and circular bioeconomy” held online in April 2024. The CIRCLE project produced 16 project deliverables, including eight academic papers submitted and one joint research proposal to the programme Horizon Europe. In addition, 10 papers were presented at academic conferences.
The most important scientific results are reflected in eight academic papers (submitted, under review). The CIRCLE project contributed to new knowledge about circular bioeconomy in the following thematic aspects which have been elaborated in the submitted academic papers: 1) the role of boundary objects in interdisciplinary research on circular bioeconomy; 2) factors enabling cross-sectoral flows of bioresource residues; 3) factors promoting the use of waste from primary food sector; 4) comparison of circular and linear business models in AFA sectors; 5) by-product valorization pathways in agriculture, forestry and food sector companies; 6) socio-economic benefits and costs of insect meal production from agricultural and food waste; 7) practice and politics of care in industrial agriculture; 8) caring for waste in the circular economy.
The CIRCLE project contributed to the academic, public and political debate on sustainable use of bioresources both at national and European levels. It offered to complement existing knowledge on intra- and cross-sectoral cooperation solutions in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and shed light on the role of different actors from market, government and civil society in the effective implementation and governance of the principles of the circular economy. The project has fostered new partnerships within and outside the consortium, interdisciplinary cooperation and inter-institutional learning in the Baltic and Nordic countries.
The project has provided evidence-based knowledge towards promoting loop-closing practices and business models organized around circular resource use in value chains, which are embedded in supportive collaborative arrangements and policy frameworks at both regional and national levels.
Indicators achieved in the project: 8 scientific publications have been prepared, 1 joint project application for further funding was submitted, 19 researchers were supported.
Summary of bilateral results
The CIRCLE project teamed scientists from different disciplines, following the idea that interdisciplinary collaboration enables the complementary use of different scientific perspectives and research methods, leading to a better understanding of complex or so far little recognized and researched phenomena. The CIRCLE project was built on prior research networks among the promoter organization (BSC) and the research institute RURALIS from Norway developed during scholarship exchange visits, participation in conferences, and participation in joint Horizon 2020 research projects SALSA (2016-2020) and AgriLinks (2017-2021). The prior research networks were effectuated and further strengthened and expanded while building the CIRCLE consortium, involving the partners from Estonia and Lithuania, jointly developing the proposal for the Baltic Research Programme and implementing the project once it got funded. Making of- and working in- an interdisciplinary team of researchers of various career stages, experiences and disciplinary backgrounds was essential to strengthening capacity and competence. The interaction among senior researchers, post-doctoral researchers, and PhD students was instrumental. Senior researchers provided guidance and continuity, post-doctoral researchers offered flexibility and filled critical gaps, and PhD students brought fresh perspectives and rigorous academic focus. This dynamic interaction facilitated a resilient and adaptive project environment, enabling effective problem-solving and capacity building.