Towards a Circular Economy: The Role of Dutch Logistics Industries and Governments

TLDR

While the circular economy holds great potential, it will not scale without an integrated long‑term system change that engages public and private actors, with the logistics industry acting as a key enabler for a successful and sustainable circular strategy. This paper focuses on the Dutch logistics industry and its role in advancing the Netherlands’ broader agenda to realize a more circular economy. The authors examine the logistics industry's transition agenda toward a circular economy, identify barriers, and assess how public policymakers address and can tackle these obstacles.

Abstract

While there is great potential in the chief values and prospects of a circular economy, this alone will not bring the circular economy to market or scale. In order for a circular economy to materialize, an integrated approach that focuses on a long-term system change or transition is required. To set the change process in motion, many (public and private) players (companies, authorities, citizens, and research institutions) need to be involved. Among the many stakeholders, a genuine enabler to implement a successful and sustainable circular strategy is the logistics industry. Given that The Netherlands is used as a case study, in this paper, we focus on the Dutch logistics industry and how this industry can contribute to the broader Dutch agenda to realize a more circular economy. It implies looking at the specific transition agenda for the logistics industry in relation to a circular economy, what barriers may exist that might hamper such a transition, and how public policy-makers are dealing with and can tackle these barriers.