Walter J V Vermeulen
Biographic Data
| ID | 6547497 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Walter J V Vermeulen |
| GIVEN NAMES | Walter J V |
| FAMILY NAME | Vermeulen |
| SIGNATURE | VERMEULEN W J V |
| AFFILIATIONS | Utrecht University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5947-8688 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 17 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 32 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 17 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2023 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Sustainable circular cities? Analysing urban circular economy policies in Amsterdam, Glasgow, and Copenhagen
Cities play a central role in the circular economy (CE) as they are important centres of production and consumption, responsible for 80% of global GDP. European cities are particularly important due to their position of power in the global economy as major markets, and places of industrial and social innovation. Yet urban CE policies and discourses remain poorly researched and understood. This paper addresses this research gap by analysing and co…
Thermodynamic rarity of electrical and electronic waste
The strategic relevance of extracting raw materials from waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the EU is increasing due to value chain risks caused by geopolitical instability, accessibility of specific minerals, and decreasing reserves due to growing extraction rates. This article examines the quantities of so‐called critical raw materials (CRMs) originating within WEEE streams from a depletion perspective. Presently, current …
Lessons, narratives, and research directions for a sustainable circular economy
The current enthusiasm for the circular economy (CE) offers a unique opportunity to advance the impact of research on sustainability transitions. Diverse interpretations of CE by scholars, however, produce partly opposing assessments of its potential benefits, which can hinder progress. Here, we synthesize policy‐relevant lessons and research directions for a sustainable CE and identify three narratives—optimist, reformist, and skeptical—that und…
Adopting a socio‐material perspective on life cycle assessment
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is amongst the most frequently used methodologies to identify and evaluate the environmental impacts of the circular supply chain configurations. This article aims to showcase how a socio‐material perspective can increase the embeddedness of such an assessment within inter‐firm networks. A comparative LCA of two circular product systems is conducted, namely single‐use and reusable tableware within a canteen located in …
Science with society
The ongoing social and ecological crises create urgency in academia and elsewhere to devise actionable problem‐solving knowledge to tackle sustainability challenges. Transdisciplinary research (TDR) represents a problem‐solving methodology for sustainability problems. TDR requires researchers to get out in the real world and engage with other societal actors to jointly produce such problem‐solving knowledge for research to have a societal impact.…
Analysing European Union circular economy policies
Since the publication of the European Union's Circular Economy Action Plan in 2015, this new sustainability paradigm has become a guiding force behind the environmental and economic policies of the Junker Commission. The European Union (EU) has taken a particular approach to circularity, with high expectations to increase competitiveness, promote economic growth and create jobs while reducing environmental impacts and resource dependency. However…
A typology of circular economy discourses
The circular economy (CE) has recently become a popular discourse especially in government and corporate sectors. Given the socio-ecological challenges of the Anthropocene, the concept of CE could indeed help the transition to a sustainable, just and resilient future. However, the actual definition, objectives and forms of implementation of the CE are still unclear, inconsistent, and contested. Different actors and sectors are thus articulating c…
The circular economy
Over the last decade, the concept of the circular economy has regained attention, especially related to efforts to achieve a more sustainable society. The ‘revival’ of the circular economy has been accompanied by controversies and confusions across different actors in science and practice. With this article we attempt at contributing to advanced clarity in the field and providing a heuristic that is useful in practice. Initially, we take a focus …
Higher education level teaching of (master’s) programmes in sustainable development
The concept of sustainable development (SD) has highly been debated since it was presented 25 years ago, with ‘hard science’ approaches on one side and more process-oriented approaches on the other side. Academic teaching in SD has emerged in response to this in very different contexts, partly mirroring this academic debate. Some master’s programmes in SD take a strong science approach, while other programmes focus on the process of implementing …
Towards a Conceptual Framework for The Study of Shifts in Modes of Environmental Governance – Experiences From The Netherlands
In the last decade, many authors have observed shifts from government to governance in the environmental policy domain. However, a clear conceptual framework to differentiate between modes of environmental governance is lacking and our understanding of when, how and why environmental governance changes from one mode to another is limited. In this paper we propose such a framework and we illustrate its usefulness by applying it to two environmenta…
Supporting Smallholders to Access Sustainable Supply Chains
A significant number of different sustainable initiatives have emerged to improve sustainability and inclusion of small farmers in global supply chains. These include production process adjustment advice and implementation of different sustainable product standards. In practice two different approaches are taken. Development projects focus on enabling farmers to adjust their practices to Organic, Fairtrade and other standards requirements. In int…
Enhancing our understanding of the role of environmental policy in environmental innovation
Sustainable production and the performance of South African entrepreneurs in a global supply chain. The case of South African table grape producers
Global trade is strongly growing and becoming connected to the issue of sustainable development in business practices. In recent years this has resulted in businesses on the demand side formulating sets of requirements for suppliers on their performance on corporate social responsibility and sustainable production. In doing this, value systems of the industrialized world are forwarded towards developing countries. It is seen as a way to complemen…
Sustainability through the market – the impacts of sustainable supply chain management
The ‘successful failure’ of the sustainable development agreement between the Netherlands and Bhutan
This article discusses the practice of implementing the Sustainability Treaty signed by Bhutan and the Netherlands in 1994. This unique treaty represents a new relationship between developed and developing countries, based upon the principles of reciprocity and equality. The operational aspects of this treaty and the impacts are addressed and analysed in this article. The analysis pays close attention to the implementation process in Bhutan and t…
Public perceptions of Bhutan's approach to sustainable development in practice
This paper focuses on the practical approach to sustainable development in Bhutan and specifically on public views on and experiences with the implementation of this strategy. Bhutan's development goal is ‘gross national happiness’. The strategy it has adopted to achieve this goal is known as the ‘middle path strategy’, which essentially addresses four sources (‘pillars’) of gross national happiness: economic development, ecological preservation,…
Supply Curves for Eco‐efficient Environmental Improvements Using Different Weighting Methods
Eco‐efficiency implies environmental improvement at the lowest possible cost. When several environmental measures are possible, these can be ranked according to their cost per unit of environmental improvement, after which an eco‐efficient set of measures can be selected that yields a given level of environmental improvement at least cost. This procedure can be visualized as a supply curve for environmental improvement. Such a curve plots cumulat…
Supporting Smallholders to Access Sustainable Supply Chains
A significant number of different sustainable initiatives have emerged to improve sustainability and inclusion of small farmers in global supply chains. These include production process adjustment advice and implementation of different sustainable product standards. In practice two different approaches are taken. Development projects focus on enabling farmers to adjust their practices to Organic, Fairtrade and other standards requirements. In int…
Sustainability through the market – the impacts of sustainable supply chain management
Sustainable production and the performance of South African entrepreneurs in a global supply chain. The case of South African table grape producers
Global trade is strongly growing and becoming connected to the issue of sustainable development in business practices. In recent years this has resulted in businesses on the demand side formulating sets of requirements for suppliers on their performance on corporate social responsibility and sustainable production. In doing this, value systems of the industrialized world are forwarded towards developing countries. It is seen as a way to complemen…
Enhancing our understanding of the role of environmental policy in environmental innovation
Public perceptions of Bhutan's approach to sustainable development in practice
This paper focuses on the practical approach to sustainable development in Bhutan and specifically on public views on and experiences with the implementation of this strategy. Bhutan's development goal is ‘gross national happiness’. The strategy it has adopted to achieve this goal is known as the ‘middle path strategy’, which essentially addresses four sources (‘pillars’) of gross national happiness: economic development, ecological preservation,…
Adopting a socio‐material perspective on life cycle assessment
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is amongst the most frequently used methodologies to identify and evaluate the environmental impacts of the circular supply chain configurations. This article aims to showcase how a socio‐material perspective can increase the embeddedness of such an assessment within inter‐firm networks. A comparative LCA of two circular product systems is conducted, namely single‐use and reusable tableware within a canteen located in …
Science with society
The ongoing social and ecological crises create urgency in academia and elsewhere to devise actionable problem‐solving knowledge to tackle sustainability challenges. Transdisciplinary research (TDR) represents a problem‐solving methodology for sustainability problems. TDR requires researchers to get out in the real world and engage with other societal actors to jointly produce such problem‐solving knowledge for research to have a societal impact.…
The ‘successful failure’ of the sustainable development agreement between the Netherlands and Bhutan
This article discusses the practice of implementing the Sustainability Treaty signed by Bhutan and the Netherlands in 1994. This unique treaty represents a new relationship between developed and developing countries, based upon the principles of reciprocity and equality. The operational aspects of this treaty and the impacts are addressed and analysed in this article. The analysis pays close attention to the implementation process in Bhutan and t…
Supply Curves for Eco‐efficient Environmental Improvements Using Different Weighting Methods
Eco‐efficiency implies environmental improvement at the lowest possible cost. When several environmental measures are possible, these can be ranked according to their cost per unit of environmental improvement, after which an eco‐efficient set of measures can be selected that yields a given level of environmental improvement at least cost. This procedure can be visualized as a supply curve for environmental improvement. Such a curve plots cumulat…
Public perceptions of Bhutan's approach to sustainable development in practice
This paper focuses on the practical approach to sustainable development in Bhutan and specifically on public views on and experiences with the implementation of this strategy. Bhutan's development goal is ‘gross national happiness’. The strategy it has adopted to achieve this goal is known as the ‘middle path strategy’, which essentially addresses four sources (‘pillars’) of gross national happiness: economic development, ecological preservation,…
The ‘successful failure’ of the sustainable development agreement between the Netherlands and Bhutan
This article discusses the practice of implementing the Sustainability Treaty signed by Bhutan and the Netherlands in 1994. This unique treaty represents a new relationship between developed and developing countries, based upon the principles of reciprocity and equality. The operational aspects of this treaty and the impacts are addressed and analysed in this article. The analysis pays close attention to the implementation process in Bhutan and t…
Enhancing our understanding of the role of environmental policy in environmental innovation
Sustainable production and the performance of South African entrepreneurs in a global supply chain. The case of South African table grape producers
Global trade is strongly growing and becoming connected to the issue of sustainable development in business practices. In recent years this has resulted in businesses on the demand side formulating sets of requirements for suppliers on their performance on corporate social responsibility and sustainable production. In doing this, value systems of the industrialized world are forwarded towards developing countries. It is seen as a way to complemen…
Sustainability through the market – the impacts of sustainable supply chain management
Towards a Conceptual Framework for The Study of Shifts in Modes of Environmental Governance – Experiences From The Netherlands
In the last decade, many authors have observed shifts from government to governance in the environmental policy domain. However, a clear conceptual framework to differentiate between modes of environmental governance is lacking and our understanding of when, how and why environmental governance changes from one mode to another is limited. In this paper we propose such a framework and we illustrate its usefulness by applying it to two environmenta…
Supporting Smallholders to Access Sustainable Supply Chains
A significant number of different sustainable initiatives have emerged to improve sustainability and inclusion of small farmers in global supply chains. These include production process adjustment advice and implementation of different sustainable product standards. In practice two different approaches are taken. Development projects focus on enabling farmers to adjust their practices to Organic, Fairtrade and other standards requirements. In int…
Higher education level teaching of (master’s) programmes in sustainable development
The concept of sustainable development (SD) has highly been debated since it was presented 25 years ago, with ‘hard science’ approaches on one side and more process-oriented approaches on the other side. Academic teaching in SD has emerged in response to this in very different contexts, partly mirroring this academic debate. Some master’s programmes in SD take a strong science approach, while other programmes focus on the process of implementing …
The circular economy
Over the last decade, the concept of the circular economy has regained attention, especially related to efforts to achieve a more sustainable society. The ‘revival’ of the circular economy has been accompanied by controversies and confusions across different actors in science and practice. With this article we attempt at contributing to advanced clarity in the field and providing a heuristic that is useful in practice. Initially, we take a focus …
A typology of circular economy discourses
The circular economy (CE) has recently become a popular discourse especially in government and corporate sectors. Given the socio-ecological challenges of the Anthropocene, the concept of CE could indeed help the transition to a sustainable, just and resilient future. However, the actual definition, objectives and forms of implementation of the CE are still unclear, inconsistent, and contested. Different actors and sectors are thus articulating c…
Analysing European Union circular economy policies
Since the publication of the European Union's Circular Economy Action Plan in 2015, this new sustainability paradigm has become a guiding force behind the environmental and economic policies of the Junker Commission. The European Union (EU) has taken a particular approach to circularity, with high expectations to increase competitiveness, promote economic growth and create jobs while reducing environmental impacts and resource dependency. However…
Science with society
The ongoing social and ecological crises create urgency in academia and elsewhere to devise actionable problem‐solving knowledge to tackle sustainability challenges. Transdisciplinary research (TDR) represents a problem‐solving methodology for sustainability problems. TDR requires researchers to get out in the real world and engage with other societal actors to jointly produce such problem‐solving knowledge for research to have a societal impact.…
Sustainable circular cities? Analysing urban circular economy policies in Amsterdam, Glasgow, and Copenhagen
Cities play a central role in the circular economy (CE) as they are important centres of production and consumption, responsible for 80% of global GDP. European cities are particularly important due to their position of power in the global economy as major markets, and places of industrial and social innovation. Yet urban CE policies and discourses remain poorly researched and understood. This paper addresses this research gap by analysing and co…
Thermodynamic rarity of electrical and electronic waste
The strategic relevance of extracting raw materials from waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the EU is increasing due to value chain risks caused by geopolitical instability, accessibility of specific minerals, and decreasing reserves due to growing extraction rates. This article examines the quantities of so‐called critical raw materials (CRMs) originating within WEEE streams from a depletion perspective. Presently, current …
Lessons, narratives, and research directions for a sustainable circular economy
The current enthusiasm for the circular economy (CE) offers a unique opportunity to advance the impact of research on sustainability transitions. Diverse interpretations of CE by scholars, however, produce partly opposing assessments of its potential benefits, which can hinder progress. Here, we synthesize policy‐relevant lessons and research directions for a sustainable CE and identify three narratives—optimist, reformist, and skeptical—that und…
Adopting a socio‐material perspective on life cycle assessment
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is amongst the most frequently used methodologies to identify and evaluate the environmental impacts of the circular supply chain configurations. This article aims to showcase how a socio‐material perspective can increase the embeddedness of such an assessment within inter‐firm networks. A comparative LCA of two circular product systems is conducted, namely single‐use and reusable tableware within a canteen located in …
Economics (14 works) · Political science (14 works) · Sustainability (10 works) · Business (9 works) · Sociology (8 works) · Sustainable development (8 works) · Computer Science (7 works) · Sustainable Supply Chain Management (7 works) · Circular economy (6 works) · Engineering (6 works)