Speaker
Description
For planning, and planners, a long-standing tension persists between technocratic governance and advocacy for the right to the city (Tasan-Kok et al., 2016). While planning power traditionally manifests through practical tools and legal instruments, its true influence often lies in the pre-implementation stages through narratives and visioning that shape urban futures. This dynamic becomes particularly intriguing when examining emerging narratives that struggle to achieve systemic change or a place within established planning systems, raising questions about planning's efficacy when dominant narratives face challenges or parallel narratives fail to accumulate regulatory power.
The circular economy (CE) presents a compelling case study of such narrative complexity. Having evolved beyond its origins as a business model concept, CE is increasingly recognized as a novel urban development paradigm aimed at closing material loops to strengthen local economies and social redistribution (Williams, 2021). However, its conceptualization reveals inherent contradictions: it simultaneously advocates for economic growth while promising social benefits, promotes inner-city re-industrialization and the protection of low-skilled labour, all while serving as a "'cleaner and greener' alternative to existing industries (Bassens et al., 2020). These contradictions thrive on the very ambiguity surrounding CE's definition and application, making it both difficult to oppose and challenging to implement at the urban scale.
This paper examines the circular economy narrative within the Brussels Capital Region (BCR), where urgent needs exist to rethink material consumption, waste management, and urban industrial employment. By analysing historical path-dependency, this study will trace the evolution of circular city agendas in Brussels through two complementary methodological approaches. First, through critical discourse analysis of policy documents (1980-present) spanning supranational, national, and regional levels. This includes examination of EU circularity frameworks, national economic strategies, and regional development plans, alongside strategic and regulatory land use plans. Through this analysis, I trace the institutional adaptation of CE strategies and their evolution from deindustrialization narratives to current circular city approaches. Second, building on previous cases of spatial experimentation in CE implementation (Baumgartner et al., 2024), interviews with urban planners and practitioners involved in Brussels' circular transition will be conducted to examine the practical challenges and opportunities in implementing CE principles within existing planning frameworks.
This research aims to contribute to our understanding of narrative mobilization, actor roles, and the operational efficiency of CE visions across strategic, temporary, and permanent regulatory contexts. The study will advance understanding of planning's role in emerging discourses, particularly in contexts of material scarcity and social inclusion. By highlighting the complex dynamics of transformative planning action, the paper offers critical reflections on the potential and limitations of circular economy strategies in urban settings.
References
Bassens, David, Kębłowski Wojciech and Lambert, Deborah (2020) Placing cities in the circular economy: neoliberal urbanism or spaces of socio-ecological transition? Urban Geography, 41(6), pp. 893–897.
Baumgartner, Jasmin, Bassens, David and De Temmerman, Niels (2024) Finding land for the circular economy: territorial dynamics and spatial experimentation in the post-industrial city, Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 17 (3), pp. 699-715 17
Tasan-Kok, Tuna, Bertolini, Luca, Oliveira e Costa, Sandra, Lothan, Hila, Carvalho, Higor, Desmet, Maarten, De Blust, Seppe, Devos, Tim, Kimyon, Deniz, Zoete, J.A. and Ahmad, Peter (2016) Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee: giving voice to planning practitioners’, Planning Theory & Practice, 17(4), pp. 621–651.
Williams, Joanna (2021) Circular cities: a revolution in urban sustainability. Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY: Routledge.
| Keywords | circular cities; circular development; planning instruments; favisioning; Brussels |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
