Green entrepreneurship and waste management: strategies and policies for future sustainable and circular economy

In the realm of sustainable development, circular economy practices are pivotal for bridging environmental goals with economic growth. Anchored in sustainability, these practices aim to extend the lifecycle of resources through enhanced reuse, recycling, and repair, transforming waste into a valuable asset. This shift toward a circular economy introduces essential changes in both consumption patterns and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Notably, it demands a reevaluation of production processes and business models, urging a holistic reformation of how goods are produced, utilized, and recycled. As businesses navigate this evolving landscape, the integration of green entrepreneurship within waste management systems becomes vital for fostering resilient economies that are less reliant on raw material extraction and more focused on competitiveness and resource sustainability.

This Research Topic aims to galvanize research exploring the synergies between entrepreneurship and waste management within a comprehensive, sustainable, and circular economy framework. Despite the growing importance of circular and sustainability frameworks, there is a notable scarcity of empirical research investigating these concepts from an economic perspective centered on individual stakeholders. This research endeavor is designed to fill this gap by highlighting the influence of economic policies on fostering sustainable practices and reducing waste generation. Encouraging empirical studies, this topic seeks contributions that dissect the economic underpinnings of sustainability initiatives and their capacity to bolster a circular economy.

The management of demand and supply is critical in ensuring the viability of any given economic system. To some extent, achieving the common goal of sustainable development of the economy and its transition to a circular one depends on how economic agents are willing and able to design and pursue green policies. What is novel about this research topic is that it is necessary to combine and integrate various strands of research in behavioral and environmental economics. It extends the argument by illustrating the necessity of cross-disciplinary approaches to enable the reader to access the research focused on the setting, formulation, and execution of green entrepreneurial and waste management strategies.

To ensure a thorough exploration of the dynamic field of green entrepreneurship and waste management, this topic covers a broad spectrum of areas. The scope of research includes but is not limited to:

• Value capture models e.g. circular business models, financial approaches supporting green initiatives, markets for secondary materials
• Green entrepreneurship and innovation theory e.g. principles of sustainable entrepreneurship, Circular applications at nano, micro, meso, and macro levels, bottom up innovation
• Case studies and applications e.g. Innovations for achieving climate neutrality, techniques for effective recycling and reuse, achieving zero waste outcomes, comprehensive waste management strategies
• Sustainable design and behavior e.g. Designs fostering circularity, Consumer behavior towards sustainability
• Green policy e.g. policy frameworks for secondary materials
• Industrial sustainability: enhancing sectors and supply chain resilience
• Sustainable frameworks e.g. The intersection of Circular Economy and SDGs, Strategies for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)

Keywords: Sustainability, sustainable consumption, sustainable entrepreneurship, green finance, waste management

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.