Priorities for Developing Countries
Research paper
Published 22 May 2019
Updated 11 December 2020
ISBN: 978 1 78413 338 2
Developing economies will struggle to grow sustainably without significant investment in recycling, reusing and repairing used raw materials and products. This paper looks at opportunities to coordinate regional trade policies and investment programmes to rapidly scale up the circular economy in the developing world.
Below is a description of the steps taken for the Chatham House–UNIDO survey, some of the results of which are presented in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 in this paper.
The purpose of the Chatham House–UNIDO survey was to gain an insight into how the circular economy (CE) is understood in developing countries and among international development actors. It was conducted in August and September 2018, and facilitated by UNIDO’s Global Network for Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECPnet) Secretariat. RECPnet aims to facilitate collaboration and North–South/South–North dialogue on resource-efficient production; and to support the development and scale-up of RECPnet concepts, including the CE, in developing and transition economies. The network’s members include cleaner-production centres, sustainable technology hubs, environmental funds and foundations, research institutes and consultancy firms.
Respondents were asked the following questions:
Thirty-nine individuals from 28 economies responded to the survey:320
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Emerging and developing economies |
Advanced economies |
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Algeria |
Montenegro |
Austria |
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Argentina |
Nicaragua |
Finland |
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Bosnia and Herzegovina |
North Macedonia |
United Kingdom |
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Cambodia |
Palestine |
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Colombia |
Romania |
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Costa Rica |
Russia |
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El Salvador |
Rwanda |
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Georgia |
Serbia |
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Honduras |
Tanzania |
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Hungary |
Uzbekistan |
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India |
Vietnam |
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Jordan |
Zimbabwe |
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Laos |
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Owing to the small sample size, the results of the survey cannot be taken as indicative of broader perceptions. Instead, they offer food for thought for those exploring the implications of a transition to the CE in developing countries and within the broader sustainable development agenda. Further efforts are needed to map real and perceived opportunities for, and barriers to, scaling up CE solutions in developing countries.
