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Efforts for a Circular Economy in China: A Comprehensive Review of Policies
Author(s) -
Zhu Junming,
Fan Chengming,
Shi Haijia,
Shi Lei
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of industrial ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.377
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1530-9290
pISSN - 1088-1980
DOI - 10.1111/jiec.12754
Subject(s) - circular economy , industrial ecology , subsidy , resource efficiency , china , production (economics) , economics , resource (disambiguation) , incentive , industrial policy , government (linguistics) , public policy , business , economic system , policy analysis , conceptual framework , sustainable development , sustainability , industrial organization , economic growth , political science , market economy , public administration , computer science , sociology , macroeconomics , ecology , computer network , linguistics , philosophy , social science , law , biology
Summary Circular economy concepts, practices, and policies are increasingly drawing attention as important means for the pursuit of sustainable development. This article uses a conceptual framework to catalogue and investigate policy efforts for the circular economy in China. Based on the framework, policy prototypes and specific examples are identified: resource‐oriented, production‐oriented, waste, and use‐oriented and life cycle policies. A comprehensive review of 280 related policies shows that China has a long history of resource‐oriented policies and implemented production‐oriented policies very quickly after the year 2000. China's policies toward the circular economy became more comprehensive through time, with a broad engagement of government agencies, an extensive and progressive coverage of recycling opportunities, production initiatives across multiple scales, and use of different policy instruments. The continuous progress has been driven by proactive state actors and their learning from the international society. The current policy framework, however, is concerned more with the means rather than the ends of the circular economy, and relies too much on direct subsidies and other financial incentives. Policy making can be improved by more explicit consideration of the whole production life cycle and use of market‐based policy design.