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The relation of the circular economy to the social dimension of sustainability

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2024-12-31
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Kriza, M. (2024). The relation of the circular economy to the social dimension of sustainability. Economica, 15(3-4), 80-89. https://doi.org/10.47282/economica/2024/15/3-4/14670
Abstract

The concept of the circular economy offers several environmental and economic benefits, such as reducing the generation of waste, reducing the use of natural resources, increasing the resource efficiency of production, or the promotion of the durability, repairability and extended utilization of the products. The academic research related to this new concept has focused primarily on these two pillars of the sustainable development in the past one and a half decade, while much less attention has been paid to the social dimension. As the positive environmental and economic impacts of the circular economy can be relatively well-defined and quantified, in case of social consequences there is much more uncertainty, and the measurement also faces many difficulties. Therefore, it is worth investigating more closely the possible social implications of this new and constantly evolving economic and technological concept. In my paper I seek to explore this issue by reviewing the relevant international literature and presenting some domestic and foreign examples.

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