CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABILITY POLICIES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION: FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

Abstract

The “take-make-dispose” approach followed by the linear economy model has caused damage across social, environmental, and economic domains, revealing the necessity of adopting a new production and consumption paradigm. In the past, steps taken with a sole focus on profit and growth, without considering the limited of natural resources, have led to irreversible negative consequences that we face today. In response, countries aiming to act with greater consideration for the resources of future generations have adopted new strategic approaches such as the circular economy model, sustainable production, sustainable consumption, sustainable development, and zero-waste living. These concepts have frequently been addressed as part of this transition.

In line with these approaches, the concepts of circular economy and sustainability -two of the world’s emerging trends- have been discussed both nationally and internationally since the last quarter of the 20th century, and have gained increased theoretical and practical focus since the beginning of the 21st century. The transition from a linear to a circular economy represents a shift from a traditional to a new economic, social, and environmental paradigm. While this transition presents opportunities such as increased efficiency, waste reduction, the emergence of substitute resources, and new employment areas, it also brings challenges such as high costs, inter-country inequalities, and the long process of building societal awareness.

In this article, the theoretical foundations of the circular economy model, which is an alternative to the traditional linear economy in order to ensure sustainability, and the global action plans signed by the European Union are examined, and the textile sector, one of the circular economy applications, is discussed.