Cultivating circular economies in the gaps of governance: lessons from Lebanon’s ecosystem of CE micro projects

Abstract

This article explores micro circular economies (CEs) in Lebanon. The researchers asked, “What do CEs that center human health, equity, and well-being into their design look like in practice? What lessons can macro-CE projects and policy learn from such approaches?” Employing a political ecology framework, the authors assess the socio-political conditions through which these CEs emerged to understand the possibilities for mobilising CEs as solutions for conditions of systemic violence and inequality. Analysing common discourses and practices across disparate CE micro projects, this article theorises the main differences between such projects and institutionalised or corporate CEs. This study traces CEs which emerged during the garbage crisis of 2015 and coalesced during the thawra (the 2019–2020 uprisings in Lebanon). The authors analyse the challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned in navigating multifaceted CE projects within these challenging conditions. Through examining circular economy solutions “from below”, we argue that CE projects that are designed to respond to histories of power and inequality have greater potential to advance socio-ecological equality by creating innovative models for resource (re)use and distribution.