Narrating the Interplay Between Circular Economy (CE) and Ecological Transition: A Social and Cultural Perspective from CE Experiments in Kamouraska (Quebec) and La Rochelle (France)

Abstract

This article examines how local circular economy (CE) initiatives can help to address ecological transition issues. From semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders of two local CE experiments in France and Quebec, we reveal that local CE experiments prioritize environmental impact and economic performance while often neglecting the social and cultural dimensions of the ecological transition. Consequently, we underscore diverse opportunities and levers for CE to foster these dimensions of ecological transition. We propose potential strategies and prerequisites for connecting CE experiments with the broader ecological transition, explicitly focusing on incorporating social and cultural perspectives.

Keywords

• circular economy
• ecological transition
• sustainable transition studies
• social dimension
• cultural change