Jacqueline Kramer: Ten lessons on governance and the circular economy

What role does governance play in the transition to a circular economy? Jacqueline Cramer (professor of sustainable entrepreneurship at Utrecht University and former Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment) carried out research worldwide on this subject, and published her findings in a book which offered ‘Ten guiding principles for building a circular economy’:

Ten lessons about governance

  1. Combine government governance with network governance. Embrace radical initiatives and ensure that their ambitions can be realised.
  2. Make sure an intermediary is in place to guide the initiative in the right direction.
  3. The receptiveness to network governance is highly dependent on the socio-cultural and political context.
  4. There is no one recipe for success.
  5. Effective governance of a circular economy depends on three factors: government leadership, the commitment of the actors and the reception given to network governance.
  6. Specific drivers such as market pressure via international regulations or the commitment of major companies can make the governance more effective.
  7. Making good use of the strong points of governance by mobilising the most relevant actors and drivers increases the effect of circular initiatives.
  8. The leadership capacity of the government, the commitment of actors, and the admissibility of network governance decide the route to a circular economy.
  9. Keep a sharp focus by regularly reflecting on the progress made.
  10. The exchange of experiences and cooperation between countries speeds up the transition to a circular economy.