Tech breakthroughs are driving circular economy policy

In a survey of more than 50 cities and regions conducted as part of a landmark OECD report on circular economy initiatives in cities, more than 40% of respondents identified new business models, technical developments, and R&D as a driver—not merely an enabler—of these initiatives.

This suggests that a significant supply-side push of transformative urban technologies is underway, and could provide a powerful tailwind to the parallel forces driven by social, economic, and environmental priorities that are generating the lion's share of interest in circular economy approaches. How policymakers, activists, and technologists navigate these competing leadership roles could become a key goal of consensus-building, or a source of increased tension.