Supporting the Circular Transition: A Dynamic Model for Local Supply Chains

The concept of “circular transition”, which has been spreading widely in recent years, summarizes the current need to move towards more sustainable economic systems. Circular Economy, in fact, results in a systemic transformation that involve all the actors of the supply chains, operating at different levels (i. e. in the production, use/consumption and end-of-life stages), with the aim of maintening the value of material and energy in the technosphere as long as possible, while reducing environmental impacts in terms of resource deplation and pollution. This implies that Circular Economy will progressively establish itself as a new socio-technical paradigm. It is well known that paradigmatic jumps require an “adaptation” phase of the systems involved, from both a structural morphological and functional-operational point of view. Such phase requires a greater collaboration and partnerships among businesses, governments, civil society and the support of scientific frameworks and methodologies capable of representing and measuring new phenomena also for a decision-making perspective. However, the circular transition considered on a global scale, is bringing out difficulties related to the operational complexity, geographical disparities, supply chains traceability, impacts related to transport activities, which make fully circular principles and solutions less applicable. In this sense, local-scale systems have a greater potential of revaluation. The present article presents the methodological outcomes of the MAX-SHEEP research project, that inspired to the principles of Industrial Ecology, aims to support circular paths of development or redevelopment for local supply chains through a dynamic model -including the integrated use of innovative methods, tools and applied solutions- capable of promoting synergic interactions and collaborative management of materials, resources and energy flows among the circular supply chains and the territories involved.