The world is facing environmental change, mainly due to human actions. To prevent serious environmental, economic, and societal impacts of climate change, all United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) member countries have committed to limit global temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial level by 2050. Current mitigation measures, like moving to renewable energy, are not sufficient. Implementing circular economy can address this issue. A transition is required to move from a linear to a circular economy. The main research question for this research is: What can be learned about targeting the transition to a 100% circular Dutch infrastructure sector in 2050, through three social agreements if we take the perspective of Mission-oriented Innovation System (MIS)? This research also provided input for the second Integral Circular Economy Report (ICER) of 2023.
The Dutch economic model operates in a predominantly linear economy. The three principles for circular economy are: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials and regenerate nature. A large renovation awaits us. The very long lifespan of infrastructural projects makes the transition in this sector challenging. One of the four central frameworks to study transitions is the Mission-oriented Innovation System (MIS) approach. To tackle grand societal challenges, MIS also takes non-technological innovations into account. To see whether something has been learned from the transition process, four learning dimensions in sustainability-oriented learning have been identified. By pursuing all four dimensions, properties can be developed to take steps toward building a circular world.
The three cases studied for this research concern the materials concrete, wood, and steel. Per case a separate MIS analysis has been performed. The three cases have been generalized into two different categories: the “already established materials” and the “yet to be introduced materials”. The main dynamic in the already established materials is the negative feedback loop between the market formation and destabilization, availability of human and financial resources and the lack of directionality. Moreover, the lack of coordination also negatively affects the entire system. For the yet to be introduced materials the non-supportive socio-technical environment is the root cause of many negatively influenced system functions. Due to the lack of a supportive environment, there is a lack of financial resources which causes insufficient knowledge development. The lack of knowledge has as a result no clear direction for the transition and little possibilities to create a market for the new material.
The research question consists of four main elements: learning, transition, circular economy, and the MIS perspective. From studying the transition to a 100% circular Dutch infrastructure it can be learned that taking the scope of a social agreement can be a good start. In line with the learning dimension about boundary crossing and system thinking, the next step it to broaden the view. Also, there should be special attention to the successes in the strategy “narrow the loop” to motivate people.