De-globalise to go circular? Reorienting interregional flows towards circular economy transitions.

Description

Authors: Constance Uyttebrouck, Rodrigo Cardoso, Marcin Dąbrowski

Abstract: Major international policy trends, such as the EU Green Deal and recent globalisation shocks like Covid-19, Brexit, and the war in Ukraine, affect the growth and distribution of interregional flows of goods, capital, people, services and knowledge in Europe, which has implications for regional futures. While creating immediate challenges, these deceleration trends that decouple regions from (some) global flows have the potential to make them more resilient and less dependent on global chains, thereby catalysing circular economy transitions. However, while these transitions should help regions become more sustainable, they may also lead to new conflicts, especially regarding spatial organisation and governance.

We contribute to this debate by exploring the case of South Holland, a dense and highly industrialised region where the Port of Rotterdam acts as a key player in global networks. In this region, space is a scarce and contested resource, and re-organising interregional flows towards circular economy has implications for land use planning, exacerbating current spatial tensions. The activities related to these flows compete for and occupy space differently, creating tensions with local needs, such as housing and infrastructure.

Tensions are further exacerbated because these problems gain prominence as circular economy transitions become a paradigm in policy discourses. Therefore, this paper critically explores the challenges of embracing deglobalisation trends as catalysts of the circular transition, using a spatial approach as a lens to rethink regional futures. The insights can inform spatial planning and regional policy, especially in globally connected regions similar to South Holland, providing lessons on how to manage the opportunities and clashes raised by the ongoing transformations of interregional flows.

The research builds on ESPON IRiE project's case study work. More information: https://irie.espon.eu/

Period	10 Nov 2023
Event title	Regional Studies Association Winter Conference 2023: Cities and Regions of Tomorrow: Towards Better Regional Futures
Event type	Conference
Location	London, United KingdomShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International