The Relationship between Circular Economy and Eco-Efficiency Through the Lens of Strategic Planning : A Systematic Literature Review

Even though circular economy (CE) and Eco-efficiency (EE) are no new topics, its relationship is barely studied. The aim of this paper is to create transparency regarding the relationship between CE and EE. This study provides a systematic literature review (SLR) with the purpose of comprehending the main features of their relationship, as origins, understandings, current relationships, implementation at the different levels (micro, meso and macro) and EE measurement tools that mediate them. This research emphasizes the roll of planning in sustainability and employs strategic planning (SP) categories to define how CE and EE are understood. Results evidence relations - from different understandings - of interdependency and no interdependency between CE and EE. From the former EE appears as a consistent tool towards the transition to CE within specific and limited scope. While, in the latter EE underpins absolute linear systems. EE contributions to the transition to CE are outlined