circulareconomy.earth: tracking circular economy policies and categorising primary and secondary resources
Updated on 05.08.2025
circulareconomy.earth has been developed by Chatham House to allow users to explore the policy and trade dynamics associated with transitioning from linear to circular economic models as well as providing analyses of the opportunities and trade-offs associated with such transitions.
This website is part of a Chatham House project, Building Transformative Alliances for an Inclusive Global Circular Economy, funded by the MAVA Foundation in 2019-2022 and is comprised of a map of existing circular economy and circular economy-related policies in the countries covered in the project, an interactive data explorer showing global trade of circular economy resources as well as publications from Chatham House and other external experts.
Relevance for Circular Systemic Solutions
The Circular Economy Earth platform, developed by Chatham House, targets global value chains and sectors such as shipbreaking, electronics, plastics, textiles, and construction, with a focus on policy and trade dynamics in the transition from linear to circular economic models.
For cities and regions, the platform offers practical value by providing in-depth analyses and policy recommendations that can inform local strategies, particularly in sectors with significant environmental and social impacts.
These insights are crucial for developing Circular Systemic Solutions as they help identify systemic challenges and opportunities across different stages of the value chain. The platform's resources are especially beneficial during the 'map' and 'design' phases of Circular Systemic Solutions implementation, where understanding the broader policy and trade context is essential for effective planning.
How to use this tool or method
Users can access key content through top menu tabs like “Policies” and “Trade,” which lead to interactive maps and thematic filters. Within the Policies section, users can pre-select specific policy types and then click on a country of interest to view relevant search results.
CO2 neutrality/decarbonisation
<5 000
large 500 000-200 000, medium 200 000-50 000, and small cities 50 000-5 000
large metropolitan area >1.5 million, metropolitan area 1.5 million-500 000
predominantly urban regions, intermediate and predominantly rural regions, refer to TERCET typology NUTS 3 region
e.g. commercial, residential, service, industrial
