The EU's circular economy package : case studies and policy response in agriculture

Abstract

The dissertation delves into identifying the ideal policy intervention types that policymakers can utilise in order to transition towards circular agriculture by adopting pro environmental behaviours in the production of fruit and vegetable industry. Following Maxwell's qualitative research design, the goals, conceptual framework, research questions, methods, and validity of the dissertation are acknowledged and made known. Various studies pertaining to the circular economy, the European Union' s circular economy package, circular agriculture, and the failures which give rise to the need of intervention are reviewed. In terms of the context in Malta, the key issues which need to be addressed are land availability; soil health; water availability and mitigation against contamination; nutrient and quality rich produce; an education system that employs innovation coming from research and development which benefits the growers , as well as an education initiative which drives to improve consumer choice; and minimum wastage at all stages throughout the value chain by only making use of the necessary resources which can be reintroduced into the loop. Taking into consideration the key issues; the need to address market failure, regulatory failure, and behavioural failure; and the policy instruments identified to address natural resource use, the protection of the environment and the transition towards the circular economy, the analysis was constructed and the case studies were selected. The case studies were selected based on a set of criteria. The results of the analysis identified the necessity to always make use of persuasive incentives for transitioning towards a circular economy in agriculture.