A Structural Analysis on The Global Actors’ Adaptive Change Tendencies Towards the Circular Economy

Yıl 2022, Cilt: 4 Sayı: 4, 193 - 212, 15.10.2022

Yılmaz Kaplan

https://doi.org/10.47103/bilturk.1170116

Cited By: 1

Öz

This study is devoted to carrying out a structural analysis on the global actors’ adaptive change tendencies towards the circular economy (CE) as a response to the climate crisis. By using the comparative case study method, the study focused on the relationship between China’s, Japan’s, the EU’s and the USA’s main structural patterns and their CE policies. In parallel with their existing institutional structure, China follows a top-down piecemeal social engineering approach, Japan a collaborative approach, the EU a functionalist approach, and the USA a market-centred approach. All these approaches target adaptive changes, and the institutional rationality of these actors could be given as the main reason behind this tendency. The institutional rationality has instrumental and historical components, and both favour an adaptive change over a transformative change. As a result, it could be argued that the structure matters in the global actors’ response to the worsening climate crisis, and a gradual paradigm shift towards the CE seems the only feasible option. However, the structural inclination to strengthen the functionality of the existing linear system via adaptive changes might impede the success of it; thus, the piecemeal adaptive changes should be progressively coordinated towards the targeted circular system.

Anahtar Kelimeler

The Circular Economy, International Politics, Environmental Politics, Adaptive Change, Sustainability, China, Japan, the EU, the USA

Küresel Aktörlerin Döngüsel Ekonomiye Yönelik Uyarlanabilir Değişim Eğilimleri Üzerine Yapısal Bir Analiz

Öz

Bu çalışma, iklim krizine karşı küresel aktörlerin döngüsel ekonomiye (DE) yönelik uyarlanabilir değişim eğilimlerinin yapısal bir analizini yapmaya adanmıştır. Karşılaştırmalı vaka çalışması yöntemi ile Çin, Japonya, AB ve ABD'nin temel yapısal özellikleri ve DE politikaları arasındaki ilişkiye odaklanılmıştır. Mevcut kurumsal yapılarına uygun olarak Çin yukarıdan aşağıya parçalı bir sosyal mühendislik yaklaşımı, Japonya işbirlikçi bir yaklaşım, AB işlevselci bir yaklaşım ve ABD piyasa merkezli bir yaklaşım izlemektedir. Tüm bu yaklaşımlar, uyarlanabilir değişiklikleri hedeflemektedir ve bahsi geçen aktörlerin kurumsal rasyonelliği, bu eğilimin ana nedeni olarak ortaya çıkmaktadır. Sonuç olarak, küresel aktörlerin kötüleşen iklim krizine yönelik tepkilerinde kurumsal yapıları oldukça etkili olmaktadır ve DE'ye doğru kademeli bir paradigma değişimi tek uygun seçenek gibi görünmektedir. Ancak, aktörlerin kurumsal yapılarından kaynaklı mevcut doğrusal sistemin işlevselliğini uyarlamalı değişiklikler yoluyla güçlendirme eğilimleri bahsi geçen paradigma değişikliğini engelleyebilir. Bu nedenle, parçalı bir şekilde uygulanan uyarlanabilir değişiklikler, hedeflenen döngüsel sisteme doğru ilerici bir şekilde koordine edilmelidir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

döngüsel ekonomi, uluslararası politika, çevre politikası, uyarlanabilir değişim, sürdürülebilirlik, Çin, Japonya, AB, ABD

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