A Critique of the Circular Economy from the Perspective of Sufficiency: Decoupling and Inequality

Current growth-oriented efforts to build economies are not on a sustainable and inclusive path: the well-being of the entire population of the planet remains unattainable while planetary boundaries are exceeded. Thus, instead of focusing on economic growth, a more holistic approach to building economies needs to be taken. Here, the concept of sufficiency as an organizing principle that recognizes enoughness and excess is challenging the growth paradigm. This article begins by discussing the circular economy as part of the green growth approach but outside the post-growth agenda. Next, two key criticisms of the circular economy raised by the sufficiency-focused degrowth approach are reviewed: the limits to decoupling and inequality. This article ends with an outlook on how the sufficiency-focused approach has been embedded into policy proposals and organizational activities, and how the circular economy could foster sufficiency-focused economies.