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federico cinquepalmi
Giving a new function to an object, which according to traditional standards would have been devoid of it, increasing its initial value and transforming waste (now synonymous with pollution and an affront to urban decorum) into a resource through renewal and recycling operations, are the cornerstones of the C2C model and should be increasingly adopted. This perspective informs more than one of the flagship initiatives of the Europe 202051 strategy: in line with the principles and objectives of a circular economy, it promotes the efficient use of resources to foster the development of green jobs and sustainable growth52. The Wellbeing economy and Urban systems An interesting further development of the circular economy, which completes the reasoning that began with the Chicago School of Sociology, is the concept of the Wellbeing Economy53. An economy oriented according to the priority objective of increasing the GDP is destined to exceed the limits of the European Commission 2010, EUROPE 2020. A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, Communication from the Commission, Brussels. 52 “…To reduce resource depletion and the environmental degradation that can result, we need to replace our current production and consumption patterns with more resilient and sustainable ones, in line with the principles of a ‘circular economy’. Shifting to a more productive and less resource-intensive economy requires investment in eco-innovation and can bring significant benefits in terms of both competitiveness and job creation. In a more circular economy, the value of products, materials and resources is retained in the economy for as long as possible and waste generation is minimized”. European Commission 2017, Resource Efficiency (Fact Sheet for the European Semester), Brussels, p. 1. 53 Fioramonti L. et al. 2018, Toward a Sustainable Wellbeing Economy, «Sustainability», vol. 9, n. 11. 51
