Draft:Circular Economy Spiral

Circular Economy Spiral is a conceptual model that seeks to integrate the social dimension more equitably into the circular economy framework, which traditionally emphasizes economic and environmental aspects. The model proposes a three-pronged spiral structure that illustrates the parallel and synchronized development of the economy, environment, and society to achieve sustainable development. It is both a heuristic tool and a critical framework designed to correct the current imbalance that tends to sideline social concerns in circular economy discourse and practice. Although the circular economy is underpinned by the three pillars of sustainability—economy, environment, and society—it has been criticized for marginalizing the social pillar. The Circular Economy Spiral responds to this critique by re-centering society within circular development frameworks.

Structure and Visual Representation

The Circular Economy Spiral is conceptualized as a triple-helix spiral, where each strand represents one of the three pillars: economy, environment, and society. Ideally, the strands progress together, maintaining proportional growth and ensuring none overtakes the others. The Circular Economy Spiral aims to serve as a visual and analytical tool to highlight imbalances in sustainable development efforts, encourage policy reformulation and business models that prioritize social sustainability alongside economic and environmental goals, and promote inclusive and equitable growth in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those related to social well-being and justice.

Critical Perspectives

Scholars have emphasized the necessity of redefining circular economy models to include the social dimension explicitly. Despite the growing prominence of the Circular Economy in policy and industry, most frameworks lack mechanisms to ensure social equity, labor rights, and community well-being. Moreover, the Spiral model warns against the instrumental use of Circular Economy by corporations that focus predominantly on cost reduction and resource efficiency without addressing structural inequalities or the broader socio-political impacts of production and consumption systems.

Global Relevance and Implementation

While regions like the European Union and China have adopted different CE strategies—bottom-up versus top-down, respectively—both approaches have inadequately addressed the social implications of circular transitions. The Spiral model suggests that without synchronizing the social component, global Circular Economy efforts risk exacerbating inequalities, especially in the Global South. The Circular Economy Spiral remains a theoretical construct and lacks universally accepted measurement indicators for its practical implementation. However, its value lies in stimulating academic and policy debates, guiding empirical research, and informing more holistic sustainability frameworks. As environmental degradation and social inequality continue to pose existential threats, the Spiral model advocates for multi-level, transdisciplinary strategies that embed justice and inclusivity into Circular Economy practices.