ID: 1887
Presenting Author: Jenny K M Zimmerman
Session: 602 - Synergies between Impact Assessment and the Circular Economy
Status: pending
The presentation builds on a study on the development of a P2X operation. The aim is to show how a CE policy in a rural setting can guide subsequent EA processes.
The ongoing green transition and reindustrialisation in many regions highlight the need for tools to mitigate the environmental impacts of policies, plans, and projects. A distinct area within the circular economy is industrial symbiosis, which aims to foster collaboration and the exchange of materials along the supply chain. In this system, the residual products of one actor serve as raw materials for another. Environmental Assessment (EA) and Circular Economy (CE) are two tools that can contribute to enhancing this aim. The presentation builds on a case study on the development of a Power to X (P2X) operation in Ånge Sweden. The aim of the presentation is to show how a CE policy in a rural setting can guide subsequent EA processes, i.e., tiering. The results show a web of decisions informed by EA and framed by the CE policy. Furthermore, the study shows the importance of guided communication among various actors and stakeholders as well as the importance of clear and informed agreements at the various EA stages from Strategic Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment to consent decision and follow-up. Thereby supporting cross-sectoral decision-making that overcomes silo thinking in sustainability planning and assessment.
Dr Jenny Zimmerman is a lecturer at Mid Sweden University. Her research focuses on sustainable rural development with a focus on the management of noble crayfish in the green transition.
Coauthor 1: Charlotta Faith-Ell
Coauthor 2: Sara H Norström