Making the Circular Economy Social

Circular Economy (CE) literature heavily focuses on technical or business aspects, widely disregarding the positive or negative social impacts of a move toward CE. A known barrier is the lack of a framework that can consider both CE features as well as social issues requiring attention.

Dr. Amorim de Oliveira’s research uses Schlosberg’s notion of Environmental Justice (EJ), combined with the three principles of CE developed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, to look at a case study of Fortaleza, Brazil. While Fortaleza shows progress in material circulation — a key CE principle — the study reveals that waste pickers, a marginalized group, were excluded from policy benefits. This exclusion undermines sustainable development and highlights the need for socially inclusive CE frameworks. The proposed EJ-based framework thus serves as a preventive tool to ensure fairer and more equitable CE transitions.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Isis Amorim de Oliveira completed her master’s and Ph.D. in environmental studies (law and policy) at Nagoya University, Japan. She worked at the United Nations Centre for Regional Development and the Public Attorney’s Office of Ceará in Brazil. She has received her Bachelor of Laws from Universidade de Fortaleza, Brazil. She is an environmentalist, SDGs enthusiast, and justice-seeker.