Opportunities and Challenges in Managing Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Goals for a Better and Cleaner Future
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 125
Special Issue Editors
Interests: management; economics; project management; quality management; integrated management systems; environmental management systems; environmental economics; sustainable tourism management; circular economy; sustainability; education for sustainable development
Interests: circular economy, sustainable development goals, resources; renewable energy; environmental sustainability; environmental impact assessment; pollution; waste management; wastewater management; human health; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: quality assurance and quality control in the food industry; human health; product quality assurance; quality management; food quality; food safety; food waste; sustainable food systems; sustainability
Interests: circular economy; clean technologies; SDGs; resources; renewable energy; environmental sustainability; environmental impact assessment; environmental pollution; planning; waste management; water management; human health; sustainability
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Focus, Scope, and Purpose:
This issue will explore the opportunities and challenges in adopting circular economy practices across various sectors. The primary focus is to investigate how businesses, industries, and communities can implement sustainable strategies to minimize waste water, optimize resources, and reduce environmental impacts while maintaining economic competitiveness. The scope includes, but is not limited to, case studies, theoretical frameworks, policy analysis, and empirical research that examine the practical implications of circular economy principles. The purpose is to foster a deeper understanding of how integrated management systems (including waste and water management), renewable energy sources, food systems, and sustainable tourism can contribute to global sustainability goals, decrease environmental pollution, and improve the human health.
Contribution to the Existing Literature:
While the literature on sustainability and circular economy has grown significantly in recent years, there remains a need for interdisciplinary perspectives that bridge the gap between theory and practice. This Special Issue will contribute by showcasing research that integrates the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability. By addressing emerging challenges such as waste and water management, pollution, resource optimization, and the role of education in promoting sustainable development, we aim to advance scholarly discourse and provide practical insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers.
We welcome contributions that examine various aspects of circular economy, including quality management, environmental economics, sustainable food systems, and renewable energy. Research employing quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method approaches are all encouraged, as are comparative studies across different geographic, sectoral, and institutional contexts.
Dr. Ramona Giurea
Dr. Elena Rada
Dr. Anca Tulbure
Dr. Luca Adami
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- circular economy
- sustainable development
- resource efficiency
- environmental management systems
- quality management
- renewable energy
- waste management
- water management
- wastewater management
- sustainable food systems
- environmental economics
- environmental pollution
- sustainable tourism
- human health
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