Samenvatting

This research illustrates how cities use different forms of governance to increase circularity in construction and demolition sector. Using circular economy and city governance frameworks, we present multiple case studies of four European cities namely Riga, Tartu, Barcelona, and Kavala, based on qualitative methodology. Data were collected through 50 interviews among city stakeholders, city reports, site visits, and validation workshop. Our findings show that cities deploy various governance instruments to address barriers and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. These include contracting waste management companies, collaborating in local and international projects, fines for improper waste separation and illegal dumping, subsidies for recycled materials, and green procurement. Despite the use of these instruments, most circular practices exist at the lowest level of circularity such as recycling and recovery, while there is an increasing focus on middle-level activities that include repair and remanufacture. High-level activities in the R-ladder such as refuse, rethink, and reduce are mostly small-scale and experimental. This suggests that cities are still learning from the process and have potential to further explore and integrate higher level circular practices. Cities could adopt a combination of governance instruments to achieve optimal circularity of construction and demolition. Practical recommendations include setting standards for circular procurement, collaborating and establishing strategic partnerships with universities, citizens, and businesses, as well as providing creative spaces for developing and implementing circular ideas. These could lead to broader implications such as cleaner and livable cities, enhanced social cohesion, new employment opportunities and broader support on circular initiatives by society.