Circular economy is a scientific study of the ecological laws of human economic activities. Circular economy is a social production and reproduction activity based on resource utilization efficiency and environmental friendliness, and it is a feature of a new mode of production. The difference is that the traditional economic growth model: the traditional earth, from one end of the earth's infinite resources pond and the economic growth in the field of sewage treatment, a large number of consumer electronic products with mineral resources emit a lot of wastewater, waste gas and environmental waste residue in production, and the other end is inserted with the embodiment of the linear growth model of "resources-products-waste". Circular economy needs to use all available resources in all aspects of production and reproduction cycle, improve the utilization efficiency of resources, improve the relationship between material metabolism and/or life and death, and extend the industrial chain, which is manifested in the form of abandoned intensive growth mode-"resources-products-renewable resources". Circular economy is to solve the contradiction between resource constraints and environmental pollution. What's the idea? Development is an effective way for human society to achieve sustainable development.
In recent years, circular economy has not only been paid attention to by the central government in China, but also become a hot research topic. Starting from "the growth of circular economy in China" and summarizing the practical experience of local industries, the formulation and implementation of circular economy development plan not only embodies the Scientific Outlook on Development of circular economy, coordinated and sustainable development, but also embodies the important significance of developing circular economy, which can improve the utilization efficiency of resources, alleviate the pressure of environmental pollution and realize the sustainable development of China's social economy.
: Carenborg model of typical cases.
The Danish coastal city of Carenborg is the most successful industrial ecosystem operation mode in the world. The principle of * * * in the industrial ecosystem of animals and plants is applicable to industrial activities, forming an "industrial chain" in which enterprises exist. In Carenborg Eco-industrial Park, there are close ties between different enterprises, from waste trade to raw material trade. Carenborg Eco-industrial Park, major industrial enterprises, power plants, oil refineries, pharmaceutical factories and gypsum board factories. Enterprises are the core, and wastes or products are used by other companies through various forms of trade in the production process, or replace some raw materials; Greenhouse farms, farms, heating stations in sulfuric acid plants, cement plants, farms in this enterprise chain.
Connotation and background of circular economy
The cycle of "circular economy" is an ecological cycle, not an economic cycle. Ecological cycle, material cycle and metabolism in economic activities are the focus of circular economy discussion, which mainly involves the material flow cycle in the economic sense. From the time point of view, it is reflected in the cycle that requires regional interaction, from the space point of view.
Circular economy is a reflection of human development model and a process of continuous development and improvement. Before the first industrial revolution, human's ability to intervene in nature, environmental pollution and ecological destruction was only partial, tiny and insignificant, with limited influence. After the industrial revolution, the social productive forces developed rapidly, the population grew rapidly, the scale of human social activities continued to expand, the ability of natural acquisition and environmental intervention increased day by day, the resource consumption was high, and the speed of waste discharge increased significantly. The limitation of combination and the understanding of subjective sleep led to more and more serious environmental pollution problems and frequent pollution accidents, which posed a greater threat to human life and property and social and economic development. 1962, the book Silent Spring published by Rachel Carson, an American biologist, described a shocking case of the harm to human beings and the environment caused by the extensive use of pesticides, and vivid language sounded the alarm of the environmental crisis in industrial society. 1On April 22, 970, the United States held a large-scale demonstration to protect the earth's environment, which showed that people were highly concerned about the requirements of global environmental issues. 1972, scientists, economists and entrepreneurs of the Club of Rome, a non-governmental academic organization, published a report on "extreme growth", which officially warned the world for the first time: "If the trends of world population, industrialization, pollution, food production and resource consumption continue, extreme growth will one day appear on this planet in the next 100 years." This report is considered to be the first report to systematically study the relationship between economic growth and population, natural resources, ecological environment and scientific and technological progress. The report looks at the fraction of natural resources and environmental capacity, which is one-sided and pessimistic, but the extension growth of supply unsatisfied points also reminds people that the ecological environment is a restrictive factor for economic growth. Since then, it has attracted the attention of the world. In the same year, the United Nations issued the Declaration on the Human Environment, which solemnly declared that there is only one earth, and that human beings develop and utilize nature, but they also undertake the obligation to preserve it.
The three major oil crises in the 1970s made people feel the supply of resources in the crisis and improved the efficiency of resource utilization. At the same time, with the rapid growth of solid waste management strategy, this is the goal of developing circular economy and establishing resource recycling overseas. First of all, in western countries, a lot of natural resources are consumed in the process of industrialization, and a lot of wastes accumulated through long-term industrialization development are needed, such as scrap steel, used cars, waste household appliances, waste paper and waste recycling, so as to reduce the cost of economic development. In fact, it is precisely because these wastes are based on recycling that there is a material basis for developing circular economy.
/& gt; In recent years, China has promoted the research and development of the world economic cycle. On the one hand, a large number of monographs on industrial ecology or articles on ecology and economy have been published at home and abroad, but there are few monographs on circular economy; We can't see the circular economy set by foreign higher education disciplines. On the other hand, by the end of 2004, China was not only an article on circular economy, but also published papers in monographs or compilations. Circular economy was a hot topic in his publishing circle in 2005. It can be said that circular economy is a complete concept. China scholars innovate development theories and models according to their own national conditions. At the same time, under the economic situation, globalization is advancing day by day. Circular economy is the "China factor" put forward by foreign scholars, and it is no exception. In China International Cooperation Committee on Environment and Development, foreign experts, with the cooperation of China experts, participated in the theoretical research of China's circular economy concept, and foreign experts promoted the circular economy.
The implementation of major economic cycles involves every citizen, every family, every community, every enterprise, every region and even the whole Chinese nation. For example, a family's energy-saving, water-saving and garbage sorting activities; Energy-saving of an office building, the use of copy paper, toner cartridges, front and back water, a clean production enterprise, the development of comprehensive resource utilization industry, the separation and recycling of social garbage, and the reuse of solar energy can all reduce the influence of material flow in the system, so it is the economy of the recycling area. As the industrialization and urbanization of China have not been completed, we can reduce economic activities unless it does not develop, which is contrary to our proposition and the starting point of promoting circular economy. In other words, China has not concentrated on promoting the development of circular economy. The so-called narrow sense of waste recycling circular economy, the development of circular economy, is equivalent to "garbage economy" and "waste economy within the scope." Japan proposes to build a recycling society, emphasizing waste reduction, reuse and recovery, and the corresponding vein industry. The so-called "vein industry, waste resource industry and artery industry" formed around it refers to the industries formed by developing and utilizing natural resources.
Circular economy research foundation
Discuss the basis of circular economy, comprehensive natural science and social science.
1, ecological basis
Ecology studies the relationship between biology and environmental science. As bionics, circular economy is based on the study of human natural metabolism, circulation, life and organizational economic activities. British scholar Ag Tansley1936 "The Concept of Ecosystem" emphasizes a certain ecosystem in which natural organisms and geography, biological and biological functions and abiotic environment are unified, including living things and all the spaces around them and all the living things directly or indirectly affected by them. Environmental conditions and ecological factors affecting economic growth, development, reproduction, morphological characteristics, physiological functions and geographical distribution. The legal ecosystem can be summarized as: integrity, coordination, recycling, regeneration, and the fields where ecological laws are applicable, such as the practice of agriculture, industry and circular economy.
2. Economic foundation
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Since the birth of economics, resource allocation, especially the allocation of scarce resources, has been the research object of economics. Due to the increasing scarcity of ecological environment conditions, it is not surprising that the economy will expand the research object of ecological environment.
Resource economics considers the essence of economy and transforms it into natural resources for survival and data. Natural resources and social resources of resources, including manpower, knowledge, information, science and technology, accumulated capital and social wealth, all have the characteristics of accumulation and variability. Natural resources, including land, forests, grasslands, precipitation, rivers and lakes, energy and mineral resources, have limited basic characteristics and some types of non-renewable resources. The relationship between circular economy research and resource economics includes supply and demand, supply and demand in price and tax. "The transformation of waste into raw materials" links the formation of capabilities between industries and is ultimately determined by resource economics.
Environmental economics. Because of the externalities involved in circular economy, governments all over the world are promoting the development of circular economy. Welfare economics tells us that if the production or consumption of a commodity will bring costs, it will not be reflected in the "external effect" of market prices. No matter whether the external influence is harmful or beneficial, enterprises or individuals who will not directly participate in such activities, produce and consume certain products. One of the beneficial effects is the external economy, otherwise the external uneconomical ecological environment is a public product. As a public environment, the "tragedy of the commons"-excessive use of non-exclusive consumption often leads to a "free rider" mentality due to insufficient supply-often leads to non-competitiveness of consumption. By developing circular economy, we can improve the utilization efficiency of natural resources and protect the environment. /& gt;
3. Industrial ecology
Industrial ecology, imitating the discipline of natural ecology, Yale University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology published the world's first Journal of Industrial Ecology in 1997. Editor's Reed Lifset in the first question: "Industrial ecosystem is a rapidly developing branch of science. From a local, regional and global perspective, it is a systematic energy flow in the research economy of products, processes, industrial sectors and industries, with emphasis on research and material flow, and the role of industry in reducing environmental pressure in the product life cycle. " Industrial ecology tries to imitate the essence of natural material circulation, system coupling between enterprises, ecological chain and industrial chain, and realize multi-level transmission, material circulation, energy efficiency output and sustainable utilization of resources. In the natural ecosystem, the consumption of producers and consumers and the production of regeneration are relatively simple and stable, but the eco-industrial system, regardless of the technical level, is far from the level of nature.
4. Ecological Economics
Eco-economics is an interdisciplinary natural science (ecology) of the whole social science (economics). Ecological economics is a science that studies the law of material circulation, energy conversion, value diffusion and its application between economic system and ecological system in the process of reproduction. The ecological environment has changed from a purely natural factor of human existence to an economic factor in the social sense, which has two meanings. First of all, a good ecological environment to meet the needs of human life has been in short supply and has become one of the goals pursued by happy people. Second, the waste absorption capacity of the natural ecological environment is close to saturation. In some areas, even if it is overloaded, its production must copy the new environmental capacity, so it needs to invest money, which becomes the "product" labor of "building a good ecological environment (ecological restoration and pollution control)" In other words, taking a good ecological environment as the goal, from the perspective of production, it has dual functions, that is, from the perspective of life, it has become the factor and condition of production.
5. Pierce model
1965, Kenneth Baldin, an American scholar, proposed in the article "Spacecraft Theory of Paulding, SPASH Ship of the Earth" that people should not regard the earth as a garbage dump, but as an ecosystem. "Recycling waste, recycling waste and circular flow depend on people's viability. But instead of a long-term circular economy, a centrally planned economy was used. Bolding's article Geoeconomics of Future Spacecraft was published in 1966. These spaceships that imply future economic development are similar to the "astronaut" economy. The earth is a lonely spaceship, and it will not store infinite substances, neither developed nor polluted. Human beings must find their place in the circular ecosystem and reproduce materials. Bolding is regarded as ecological economics, and China scholars believe that the concept of circular economy is the earliest advocate.
British environmental economist david pierce and Tu Nai (Pierce, DW & Turner, RK) 1990 first used the word circular economy. The two authors are in natural resources and environmental economics. The title of the second chapter of this book is "Circular Economy". They tried to establish the principle of sustainable development, the management rules of resources and the establishment of material flow model. Any recycling waste-the availability of resources has a positive effect, or it is directly manifested in the natural pressure absorption ability. In the latter case, more natural wastes are directly discharged into the absorption capacity of public utilities or the availability of resources, which has a negative impact. Based on this broad concept, it includes two principles: absorptive capacity, Pierce and natural resource management: the exploitation speed of renewable energy resources is not its speed, and the smaller waste flow ratio discharged into the environment is equal to or equal to the absorptive capacity of the environment. They also put forward the characteristics of resource stock: the reduction of exhaustible resources (sustainable development) should compensate for the increase of renewable resources, and to reach a certain standard of living, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of resources or renewable resources (improve efficiency).
Industrial metabolism, natural cycle and similar circular economy model of industrial cycle. The reproduction of these two cycles is the material basis of reproduction and consumption; Produce raw materials that exceed the utility of direct consumption (such as aesthetics). The environment digests waste, and the natural cycle of waste absorption is absorbed into the economic source of the economic system, which bears the natural assimilation ability of industrial cycle, and more resources reduce the pressure. In addition, recycling also helps to reduce the pressure on environmental assimilation capacity. However, the industrial cycle also needs capital investment and produces additional pressure assimilation capacity. In other words, secondary pollution leads to a decline in absorption capacity.
In the process of circular economy, the development of China.
There is a gradually clear concept of developing circular economy in China. Expanding and adjusting the focus is not only for the national and performance environmental laws and regulations, but also for formulating a series of preferential policies and constraints, encouraging enterprises to save and comprehensively utilize resources, and promoting industrial "three wastes" and "eat dry and squeeze dry". It can be inferred that circular economy will become one of the ways to realize sustainable development.
China has done a lot of work in improving the efficiency of resource utilization.
& gt Since the reform and opening up, the state has formulated a series of laws, regulations, policies, standards and management measures to promote enterprises to save energy, water, land, materials and resources, intensified structural adjustment and technological transformation with energy saving as the main content, promoted the development of advanced and applicable technologies, processes and equipment, and greatly improved the efficiency of resource utilization. Statistics show that in 2003, China's energy consumption per 10,000 yuan GDP decreased by 65.5% in 1980; Compared with 1980, the water consumption per 10,000 yuan GDP decreased by 84.7%. Comprehensive utilization shows that the output value of industrial "three wastes" is 14.6 times and1985; The total value of scrapped and recycled materials is 12.4 times, 1985, which is an organic unity of economic, social and environmental benefits.
First, the comprehensive utilization rate of industrial waste. In the process of policy incentives, such as smelting slag to make bricks or firing cement, and tax relief for waste recovery, some enterprises in our country recycle or recycle their resources through measures such as cooling water reuse. In 2003, the output value of comprehensive utilization of industrial "three wastes" reached 4 billion yuan, and the comprehensive utilization rate of industrial solid waste reached 53%, about 65%? The comprehensive utilization rate of fly ash and coal gangue is about 56%.
Return. Our urban packaging materials, such as cigarette and wine packaging cartons, recycle waste materials, forming a relatively supply of waste logistics retailers and wholesalers, and then return them to production enterprises for reuse. Some waste materials are classified in a decentralized way, and the recycling industries of scrap metal processing smelters, old furniture, waste paper, plastics, waste wood and waste household appliances have formed a network and scale. In 2003, there were more than 5,000 waste materials recycling enterprises, with recycling outlets of 1.6 million, and more than 3,000 recycling and processing enterprises, with more than 1.4 employees, and the recycling value of renewable resources was about 5 billion RMB. In the development mode, waste materials and social recycling outlets are all over the country.
In the process of production reuse and consumption reuse, our maintenance team and some enterprises have begun to explore and practice in recent years, whether in the production field of machinery, electrical appliances and other products. On the one hand, it can remanufacture the waste electromechanical products of automobile engines and realize the recycling of packaging materials, such as glass containers, cartons and turnover boxes. There are many ways to improve the utilization efficiency of resources, on the other hand, to solve the problem of product renewal of old models whose supply parts are discontinued. In addition, the state encourages the development of flea markets and makes full use of flea resources to meet the needs of low-income consumer groups.
Fourth, the environmental protection industry has developed rapidly. "Terminal" does not belong to the field of circular economy, but it is the content of circular economy. Classification of urban solid waste, recycling of domestic garbage compost and landfill gas, waste conversion into energy, forming an industrial chain, the content of circular economy, in 2003, more than 40 enterprises used garbage to generate electricity or use heat energy. Accelerate the small and medium-sized enterprises formed in coastal areas to enter the park, and treat industrial wastewater and domestic sewage in a market-oriented manner in the process of centralized sewage treatment mode. Not only has the funds for sewage treatment been reduced, but some enterprises have become large local taxpayers.
In recent years, efforts to promote circular economy and strengthen publicity on national development have increased. As a new concept, circular economy has a process of gradual understanding and deepening. In recent years, relevant state departments and news organizations should strengthen the concept of circular economy. Promote and create a good social atmosphere for developing circular economy. At the same time, green service industry (tertiary industry), environmental label certification system, green schools, green communities and green government procurement are the directions to promote circular economy in some places.
Organize pilot demonstrations. China circular economy pilot work is divided into three levels. Vigorously promote clean production at the enterprise level, establish eco-industrial parks, and carry out pilot projects in circular economy provinces and cities, and achieved initial results.
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Actively promote cleaner production. China is internationally recognized as cleaner production, and has achieved good development. 1993, China uses the World Bank to carry out cleaner production pilot projects. In brewing, paper making, chemical industry and other industries, through continuous improvement of design, use of clean energy and raw materials, adoption of advanced technology and equipment, perfect management and other measures, the utilization efficiency of resources has been improved, and the generation of pollutants has been reduced or avoided. Focusing on some major cleaner production technology development and industrialization demonstration projects, the relevant state departments conducted cleaner production audits in more than 20 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government), more than 20 industries and more than 400 enterprises, established cleaner production centers in 20 industries or regions, and more than 65,438+00,000 people participated in different types of cleaner production training, which improved the pollution prevention and control capabilities of enterprises.
Promote the development of ecological industries in concentrated areas. Industrial and economic development zones, actively develop upstream and downstream enterprises of eco-industrial waste raw materials, extend the production chain, and organize upstream enterprises to produce on the basis of ecological principles of these parks, so as to realize resource allocation, waste generation and even minimum "zero emission" between efficient regions or enterprise groups. The State Environmental Protection Administration approved Jiangsu 14 eco-industrial parks with different functions, and the recycling industrial chain of discarded lunch boxes in Shanghai and Tianjin. These practices can be summarized and popularized.
Significant progress has been made in the construction of ecological agriculture. Since 1990s, the Ministry of Agriculture has successively approved two batches of 5 1 ecological agriculture demonstration counties. After actively exploring the agricultural field, aquaculture and agricultural product processing industry, hundreds of eco-agricultural models are summarized from the perspective of material contact and the material metabolism types of eco-agricultural models. , industry * * * and mixed three categories.
Laws, regulations and policies to create an institutional environment
Since the reform and opening up, China government has taken measures to develop circular economy from the aspects of laws, regulations and policy standards, established an institutional environment conducive to resource conservation and environmental protection, and introduced an incentive mechanism.
First of all, laws and regulations are constantly improving. Article 9 of the Cleaner Production Promotion Law, which was implemented on June 5438+1 October12003, stipulates: "Adjust the industrial structure, develop circular economy, promote the cooperation of enterprises in the field of comprehensive utilization of resources and wastes, and use and recycle resources more effectively", and the Energy Conservation Law and the Renewable Energy Law put forward the development of circular economy. The Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Wastes, revised in 2004: The National Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Wastes implements the principles of reducing solid wastes and dangers, making full and rational use of solid wastes and disposing of solid wastes harmlessly, and promotes clean production and developing circular economy. "The state has also introduced energy conservation and long-term planning. This paper introduces the laws and regulations on recycling of waste household appliances and electronic products, cleaner production audit methods and contour water-saving technologies. Local laws and regulations also introduced that around 2003, Shaanxi, Liaoning, Jiangsu and other provinces and cities, such as Shenyang and Taiyuan, also formulated local cleaner production policies and regulations. The promulgation and implementation of Guiyang's regulations on building a circular economy and ecological city. All these have laid the foundation according to law and promoted the development of circular economy.
Encourage enterprises to develop circular economy through preferential policies. Comprehensive utilization of resources, waste materials, recycling environmental protection industry and an important part of circular economy have always been encouraged and supported by the state. In order to mobilize the enthusiasm and initiative of enterprises to carry out comprehensive utilization of resources, the state has formulated and implemented a series of preferential policies to encourage comprehensive utilization of resources. For example, the further development of comprehensive utilization of resources approved by the State Economic and Trade Commission and other departments in the State Council (Guo Fa [1996] No.36) is a long-term strategic policy for economic and social development.