Measuring the circular economy in cities: a comparative analysis of four Belgian municipalities.

Abstract

In line with the European Green Deal and the related Circular Economy Action Plan, cities have committed to work on the circular economy. A key step in this transition will be to measure their progress and learn from these results. However, measuring the circular economy has many challenges that still need to be studied. Especially, small, and medium-sized cities need support on how to monitor their circular performance.

Big cities have the data and resources necessary to assess their impact while implementing circularity, whereas small and medium-sized cities currently lack these resources. It is crucial for small and medium-sized cities to be able to assess their impact, as this enables them to learn from the results and improve their transition towards a circular economy. This paper aims to address the challenges face by small and medium-sized cities that are committed to the circular economy and suggesting an approach for monitoring circularity within their territories.