Share:


Empirical evidence on circular economy and economic development in Europe: a panel approach

    Irina Georgescu   Affiliation
    ; Jani Kinnunen   Affiliation
    ; Ane-Mari Androniceanu   Affiliation

Abstract

Sustainable economic growth is desired to be achieved by governments targeting economic, social, and environmental benefits. The idea of circular economy model is to consider feedback effects from proper waste management instead of one-way effects typical with the classical linear model. Several sectors of society contribute to circular economy and its monetary and environmental outputs in a sustainable way. The aim of this paper is to analyze the dependencies and causalities of circular economy and economic developments in the EU. The research objectives include testing (i) whether research and development (R&D) expenditure, GDP per capita and generation of municipal waste per capita influence the recycling rate of municipal waste, and (ii) whether R&D expenditure, generation of municipal waste per capita and the recycling rate of municipal waste influence the GDP per capita. The relevant indicators are obtained from Eurostat. The research methods of fixed effects and Tobit approach are used to study the statistical relevance of the two models. The pairwise causality of variables is tested by Dumitrescu–Hurlin causality test. One result of the study is that technology development, by a decreasing life of products, leads to an increase of waste generation. Therefore, environmentally friendly technologies should be produced.

Keyword : circular economy, economic development, competitiveness, fixed effects model, Tobit model, Granger causality

How to Cite
Georgescu, I., Kinnunen, J., & Androniceanu, A.-M. (2022). Empirical evidence on circular economy and economic development in Europe: a panel approach. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 23(1), 199–217. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2022.16050
Published in Issue
Jan 24, 2022
Abstract Views
1838
PDF Downloads
1739
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Andryeyeva, N., Nikishyna, O., Burkynskyi, B., Khumarova, N., Laiko, O. & Tiutiunnyk, H. (2021). Methodology of analysis of the influence of the economic policy of the state on the environment. Insights into Regional Development, 3(2), 198–212. https://doi.org/10.9770/IRD.2021.3.2(3)

Androniceanu, A., Kinnunen, J., & Georgescu, I. (2021). Circular economy as a strategic option to promote sustainable economic growth and effective human development. Journal of International Studies, 14(1), 60–73. https://doi.org/10.14254/2071-8330.2021/14-1/4

Androniceanu, A. (2021). Transparency in public administration as a challenge for a good democratic governance. Administratie si Management Public, 36, 149–164. https://doi.org/10.24818/amp/2021.36-09

Androniceanu, A. (2020). Major structural changes in the EU policies due to the problems and risks caused by COVID-19. Administratie si Management Public, 34, 137–149. https://doi.org/10.24818/amp/2020.34-08

Androniceanu, A. (2019). Social responsibility, an essential strategic option for a sustainable development in the field of bio-economy. Amfiteatru Economic, 21(52), 503–519. https://doi.org/10.24818/EA/2019/52/503

Androniceanu, A.-M., Georgescu, I., Tvaronavičiene, M., & Androniceanu, A. (2020). Canonical correlation analysis and a new composite index on digitalization and labor force in the context of the industrial revolution 4.0. Sustainability, 12(17), 6812. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176812

Arbulú, I., Lozano, J., & Rey-Maquieira, J. (2015). Tourism and solid waste management in Europe: A panel data assessment of the Environmental Kuznets Curve. Waste Management, 46, 628–636. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2015.04.014

Baltagi, B. (2014). Panel data econometrics (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118445112.stat03160

Banaitė, D. (2016). Towards a circular economy: Analysis of indicators in the context of sustainable development. Social Transformation in Contemporary Society, 4, 142–150. http://stics.mruni.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/STICS_2016_4_142-150.pdf

Bayar, Y., Remeikiene, R., Androniceanu, A., Gaspareniene, L., & Jucevicius, R. (2020). The shadow economy, human development and foreign direct investment inflows. Journal of Competitiveness, 12(1), 5–21. https://doi.org/10.7441/joc.2020.01.01

Borocki, J., Radisic, M., Sroka, W., Greblikaite, J., & Androniceanu, A. (2019). Methodology for strategic posture determination of SMEs – the case from a developing country. Inzinerine Ekonomika-Engineering Economics, 30(3), 265–277. https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.30.3.21966

Boulding, K. (1966). The economics of the coming spaceship earth. In H. Jarrett (Ed.), Resources for the Future (pp. 3–14). Johns Hopkins University Press.

Busu, M. & Trica, C. L. (2019). Sustainability of circular economy indicators and their impact on economic growth of the European Union. Sustainability, 11(19), 5481. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195481

Busu, M. (2019). Adopting circular economy indicators at the European Union level and its impact on economic growth. Social Sciences, 8, 159. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci8050159

Çera, G., Phan, Q. P. T., Androniceanu, A., & Çera, E. (2020). Financial capability and technology implications for online shopping. E&M Economics and Management, 23(2), 156–172. https://doi.org/10.15240/tul/001/2020-2-011

Connolly-Barker, M., Kliestik, T., Suler, P., & Zvarikova, K. (2020). Real-time decision-making in the information technology-driven economy: planning, managing, and operating smart sustainable cities. Geopolitics, History, and International Relations, 12(1), 73–79. https://doi.org/10.22381/GHIR12120206

Dasgupta, S., Mody, A., Roy, S., & Wheeler, D. (2001). Environmental regulation and development: a cross-country empirical analysis. Oxford Development Studies, 29(2), 173–187. https://doi.org/10.1080/13600810125568

Dobson-Lohman, E. (2020). Courtship practices, romantic relationship initiation, and mate selection in the online dating environment. Journal of Research in Gender Studies, 10(1), 59–65. https://doi.org/10.22381/JRGS10120205

Dumitrescu, E., & Hurlin, C. (2012). Testing for Granger non-causality in heterogeneous panels. Economic Modelling, 29(4), 1450–1460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2012.02.014

Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2013). Towards the circular economy. Economic and business rationale for an accelerated transition. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/publications/Ellen-MacArthur-Foundation-Towards-the-Circular-Economy-vol.1.pdf

Esposito, M., Tse, T., & Soufani, K., (2015). Is the circular economy a new fast-expanding market? Thunderbird International Business Review, 59(1), 9–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.21764

Ferrante, L., & Germani, A. R. (2020). Does circular economy play a key role in economic growth? Economics Bulletin, 40(3), 1855–1862.

Gardiner, R. & Hajek, P. (2020). Municipal waste generation, R&D intensity, and economic growth nexus – A case of EU regions. Waste Management, 114, 124–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2020.06.038

Geissdoerfer, M., Savaget, P., Bocken, N., & Hultink, E. (2017). The circular economy – A new sustainability paradigm? Journal of Cleaner Production, 143, 757–768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.12.048

Geng, Y., Fu, J., Sarkis, J., & Xue, B. (2012). Towards a national circular economy indicator system in China: an evaluation and critical analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 23, 216–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.07.005

Geng, Y., Sarkis, J., Ulgiati, S., & Zhang, P. (2013). Measuring China's circular economy. Science, 339(1627), 1526–1527. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1227059

Ghazi Alajmi, R. (2016). The relationship between economic growth and municipal solid waste & testing the EKC hypothesis: Analysis for Saudi Arabia. Journal of International Business Research and Marketing, 1(5), 20–25. https://doi.org/10.18775/jibrm.1849-8558.2015.15.3003

Ghisellini, P., Cialani, C., & Ulgiati, S. (2014). Circular economy: State of the art, promises and expectations. A review (Working papers in transport, tourism, information technology and microdata analysis (pp. 39). Dalarna University, Sweden.

Granger, C. W. J. (1969). Investigating causal relations by econometric models and cross-spectral methods. Econometrica, 37(3), 424–438. https://doi.org/10.2307/1912791

Greyson, J. (2007). An economic instrument for zero waste, economic growth and sustainability. Journal of Cleaner Production, 15(13–14), 1382–1390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.07.019

Grondys, K., Slusarczyk, O., Hussain, H. I., & Androniceanu, A. (2021). Risk assessment of the SME sector operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8), 4183. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084183

Gui, S., Zhao, L., & Zhang, Z. (2019). Does municipal solid waste generation in China support the Environmental Kuznets Curve? New evidence from spatial linkage analysis. Waste Management, 84, 310–319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.12.006

Gumus, E., & Celikay, F. (2015). R&D expenditure and economic growth: new empirical evidence. Margin The Journal of Applied Economic Research, 9(3), 205–217. https://doi.org/10.1177/0973801015579753

Haller, A. (2020). From classical and neoclassical economic growth to degrowth in Europe. Challenges for public administration. Administratie si Management Public, 34, 150–170. https://doi.org/10.24818/amp/2020.34-9

Hausman, J. A. (1978). Specification tests in econometrics. Econometrica, 46, 1251–1271. https://doi.org/10.2307/1913827

Ionescu, L. (2020).The economics of the carbon tax: environmental performance, sustainable energy, and green financial behavior. Geopolitics, History, and International Relations, 12(1), 101–107. https://doi.org/10.22381/GHIR121202010

Jaligot, R., & Chenal, J. (2018). Decoupling municipal solid waste generation and economic growth in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 130, 260–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.12.014

Joseph, A. M., Snelling, R., Nielsen, P., Matthys, S., & De Belie, N. (2020). Pre-treatment and utilization of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ashes towards a circular economy. Construction and Building Materials, 260, 120485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.120485

Khajuria, A., Matsui, T., Machimura, T., & Morioka, T. (2012). Decoupling and environmental Kuznets curve for municipal solid waste generation: evidence from India. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 2(3), 1670–1674. https://doi.org/10.6088/ijes.00202030051

Kirchherr, J., Reike, D., & Hekkert, M. (2017). Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 127, 221–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.09.005

Kosach, I., Duka, A., Starchenko, G., Myhaylovska, O., & Zhavoronok, A. (2020). Socioeconomic viability of public management in the context of European integration processes. Administratie si Management Public, 35, 139–152. https://doi.org/10.24818/amp/2020.35-09

Kot, S., & Brzezinski, S. (2015). Market orientation factors in sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. Asian Journal of Applied Sciences, 8(2), 101–112. https://doi.org/10.3923/ajaps.2015.101.112

Kuznets, S. (1955). Economic growth and income inequality. American Economic Review, 14(1), 1–28.

Liu, Q., Li, H.-M., Zuo, X.-L., Zhang, F.-F., & Wang, L. (2009). A survey and analysis on public awareness and performance for promoting circular economy in China: A case study from Tianjin. Journal of Cleaner Production, 17, 265–270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2008.06.003

Magazzino, C., Mele, M., & Schneider, N. (2020). The relationship between municipal solid waste and greenhouse gas emissions: Evidence from Switzerland. Waste Management, 113, 508–520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2020.05.033

Marino, A., & Pariso, P. (2021). The transition towards to the circular economy: European SMEs' trajectories. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 8(4), 431–445. https://doi.org/10.9770/jesi.2021.8.4(26)

Mazzoni, F. (2020). Circular economy and eco-innovation in Italian industrial clusters. Best practices from Prato textile cluster. Insights into Regional Development, 2(3), 661–676. https://doi.org/10.9770/IRD.2020.2.3(4)

Meyer, D. F., Masehla, T. M., & Kot, S. (2017). The relationship between economic growth and economic development: A regional assessment in South Africa. Journal of Advanced Research in Law and Economics, 8(4), 1377–1385.

Monni, S., Palumbo, F. & Tvaronavičienė, M. (2017). Cluster performance: an attempt to evaluate the Lithuanian case. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 5(1), 43–57. https://doi.org/10.9770/jesi.2017.5.1(4)

Moraga, G., Huysveld, S., Mathieux, F., Blengini, G., Alaerts, L., Van Acker, K., de Meester, S., & Dewulf, J. (2019). Circular economy indicators: What do they measure? Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 146, 452–461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.03.045

Morgan, C. (2020). Can smart cities be environmentally sustainable? urban big data analytics and the citizen-driven internet of things. Geopolitics, History, and International Relations, 12(1), 80–86. https://doi.org/10.22381/GHIR12120207

Murray, A., Skene, K., & Haynes, K. (2017). The Circular Economy: An interdisciplinary exploration of the concept and application in a global context. Journal of Business Ethics, 140, 369–380. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2693-2

Nassar, N., & Tvaronavičienė, M. (2021). A systematic theoretical review on sustainable management for green competitiveness. Insights into Regional Development, 3(2), 267–281. https://doi.org/10.9770/IRD.2021.3.2(7)

Nekmahmud, M., Rahman, S., Sobhani, F. A., Olejniczak-Szuster, K., & Fekete-Farkas, M. (2020). A systematic literature review on development of green supply chain management. Polish Journal of Management Studies, 22(1), 351–370. https://doi.org/10.17512/pjms.2020.22.1.23

Nikanorova, M., & Stankevičienė, J. (2020). Development of environmental pillar in the context of circular economy assessment: Baltic Sea Region case. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 8(1), 1209–1223. https://doi.org/10.9770/jesi.2020.8.1(81)

OECD. (2021). Environment at a glance indicators. OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/ac4b8b89-en

Ohanyan, G., & Androniceanu, A. (2017). Evaluation of IMF program effects on employment in the EU. Acta Oeconomica, 67(3), 311–332. https://doi.org/10.1556/032.2017.67.3.2

Pearce, D. W., & Turner, R. K. (1990). Economics of natural resources and the environment. The Johns University Press.

Razzaq, A., Sharrif, A., Najmi, A., Tseng, M.-L., & Lim, M. K. (2021). Dynamic and causality interrelationships from municipal solid waste recycling to economic growth, carbon emissions and energy efficiency using a novel bootstrapping autoregressive distributed lag. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 166, 105372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105372

Rincón-Moreno, J., Ormazábal, M., Álvarez, M. J., & Jaca, C. (2021). Advancing circular economy performance indicators and their application in Spanish companies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 279, 123605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123605

Rizos, V., Tuokko, K., & Behrens, A. (2017). The circular economy: A review of definitions, processes and impacts (CEPS Papers 12440). Centre for European Policy Studies.

Santos, J. F., & Catalao-Lopes, M. (2014). Does R&D matter for economic growth or vice versa? An application to Portugal and other European Countries. Archives of Business Research, 2(3), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.14738/abr.23.194

Shi, A. (2003). The impact of population pressure on global carbon dioxide emissions, 1975-1996: evidence from pooled cross-country data. Ecological Economics, 44(1), 29–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8009(02)00223-9

Siekelova, A., Androniceanu, A., Durana, P., & Frajtova Michalikova, K. (2020). Earnings management (EM), initiatives and company size: An empirical study. Acta Polytechnica Hungarica, 17(9), 41–56. https://doi.org/10.12700/APH.17.9.2020.9.3

Steffen, W., Richardson, K., Rockström, J., Cornell, S. E., Fetzer, I., Bennett, E. M., Biggs, R., Carpen­ter, S. R., de Vries, W., de Wit, C. A., Folke, C., Gerten, D., Heinke, J., Mace, G. M., Persson, L. M., Ramanathan, V., Reyers, B., & Sörlin, S. (2015). Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science, 347(6223). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1259855

Stankevičius, A., Novikovas, A., Bakaveckas, A., & Petryshyn, O. (2020). EU waste regulation in the context of the circular economy: peculiarities of interaction. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 8(2), 533–545. https://doi.org/10.9770/jesi.2020.8.2(32)

Stott, P. A., Gillett, N. P., Hegerl, G. C., Karoly, D. J., Stone, D. A., Zhang, X., & Zwiers, F. (2010). Detection and attribution of climate change: a regional perspective. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 1(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.34

Tamulevičienė, D., & Androniceanu, A. (2020.) Selection of the indicators to measure an enterprise’s value and its changes in the controlling system for medium-sized enterprises. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 7(3), 1440–1458. https://doi.org/10.9770/jesi.2020.7.3(1)

Tantau, A. D., Maassen, M. A., & Fratila, L. (2018). Models for analyzing the dependencies between indicators for a circular economy in the European Union. Sustainability, 10, 2141. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072141

Trica, C. L., Banacu, C. S., & Busu, M. (2019). Environmental factors and sustainability of the circular economy model at the European Union level. Sustainability, 11(4), 1114. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11041114

Trulli, E., Torretta, V., Raboni, M., & Masi, S. (2013). Incineration of pre-treated municipal solid waste (MSW) for energy co-generation in a non-densely populated area. Sustainability, 5, 5333–5346. https://doi.org/10.3390/su5125333

Walker, A., Rowland, Z., Frajtova Michalikova, K., & Svabova, L. (2020). Urban mobility technologies, algorithm-driven sensing devices, and machine learning-based ethical judgments in a connected vehicle environment. Contemporary Readings in Law and Social Justice, 12(2), 34–42. https://doi.org/10.22381/CRLSJ12220204