The European Union and other countries have been orienting their waste and materials management policies towards preventive and integrated approaches, with emphasis on the life-cycle and supply chains of materials and products. Policy initiatives aimed at establishing a circular economy have increased as an essential contribution to a sustainable, low carbon, resource efficient and competitive economy.
This publication provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and monitoring the circular economy. It clarifies the headline definition of the circular economy, outlines a conceptual framework and proposes harmonized indicators to track progress.
The guidelines support experts from national statistical offices and other government agencies in measuring the circular economy. It also provides detailed measurement considerations, aligns with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) and introduces a framework for developing relevant statistics.