Circular Cities Hub

What is a circular city?

Circular cities are resilient, waste-free, low carbon, resource efficient, resilient and ecologically regenerated urban systems. These circular urban systems are transformed through the creation of circular resource flows ( recycling, reuse and energy recovery); integration of blue-green infrastructure and activities which Regenerate ecosystem services; the creation of adaptable infrastructure and processes enabling transformation of urban communities in response to hazards and long-term socio-economic, cultural, technological and environmental change.

If you would like to know more about the benefits of circular development please read this open access paper

Circular Cities: A Revolution in Urban Sustainability

By Jo Williams

With cities striving to meet sustainable development goals, circular urban systems are gaining momentum, especially in Europe. This research-based book defines the circular city and circular development. It explains the shift in focus from a purely economic concept, which promotes circular business models in cities, to one that explores a new approach to urban development. This approach offers huge opportunities and addresses important sustainability issues: resource consumption and waste; climate change; the health of urban populations; social inequalities and the creation of sustainable urban economies. It examines the different approaches to circular development, drawing on research conducted in four European cities: Amsterdam, London, Paris and Stockholm. It explores different development pathways and levers for a circular urban transformation. It highlights the benefits of adopting a circular approach to development in cities, but acknowledges that these benefits are not shared equally across society. Finally, it focuses on the challenges to implementing circular development faced by urban actors. This ground-breaking book will be essential reading to scholars, students, practitioners and policymakers interested in the circular economy, urban sustainability, urban ecology, urban planning, urban regeneration, urban resilience, adaptive cities and regenerative cities.

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Director of the Circular Cities Hub

Professor Jo Williams

LinkProfessor Jo Williams is the founder and Director of the Circular Cities Hub. She is an expert in regenerative, low carbon, resource looping and adaptive urban systems. She has acted in an advisory capacity for international organizations including: UN Habitat, UNEP, European Environment Agency, European Investment Bank and OECD. She has also been engaged by nation states, consultants and cities to advise on the implementation of ecologically regenerative urban systems. She is the author of over 100 publications, including two books - Circular Cities: a revolution in urban sustainability https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429490613 and Zero Carbon Homes - A Road Map, both published by Routledge.

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