Urban Planning for the Circular Economy: a spatial turn in theory and practice

This white paper examines how urban and territorial planning can operationalise the circular economy (CE) by addressing its spatial dimensions, which remain insufficiently integrated into policy and practice. It responds to the need to translate circular economy principles into land-use decisions, infrastructure provision, and governance arrangements that are implementable within real urban contexts. The paper aims to clarify how circular economy strategies can be “territorialised”, meaning embedded in the spatial, institutional, and material realities of cities and regions. It focuses on the role of local and regional public authorities, given their responsibility for land-use planning, infrastructure coordination, and development control. The scope combines conceptual framing with applied insights, structured around four systemic domains: circular developments, circular infrastructure, land management, and multi-level governance.