Search Climate Insights Directory

The research finds that social impacts are rarely considered in studies of circular cities, and when they are, the focus is limited primarily to governance and employment, particularly regarding informal sector workers. The authors argue that the lack of a coherent overview of social consequences hinders effective policy decision-making and that further research is required to understand effects on health, culture, and human aspirations.

The paper analyses the socio-economic effects of mine closures on women and youth, highlighting how traditional gender roles and lack of skills create vulnerabilities. It argues that past policy responses, such as retraining and job placement, often failed to address these inequities, and recommends more inclusive, multi-stakeholder planning for future low-carbon transitions.

The paper reviews 154 publications covering 181 country case studies to understand the consequences of mining decline. It finds that economic impacts, such as job loss and regional decline, are the most documented, while social and political effects are understudied. The authors argue that successful transitions require long-term planning, strong local leadership, and coordinated financial mechanisms, noting that recovery often takes a decade or more.

The document serves as Deliverable 2.2 of the BONUS RETURN project, providing a preliminary list of ecotechnologies designed to minimize environmental harm and provide societal value by recovering carbon and nutrients. It defines ecotechnologies as "human interventions in social-ecological systems in the form of practices and/or biological, physical, and chemical processes designed to minimise harm to the environment and provide services of value to society". The report details the methodology used to identify these technologies, including bibliographic searches of Scopus and Web of Science and grey literature searches via Google Scholar and organizational websites. To date, the mapping has screened 40% of agricultural evidence and 60% of wastewater evidence, with the full database intended for a subsequent deliverable. The project aims to address the degradation of the Baltic Sea by improving the adoption of technologies that reconcile eutrophication reduction with food and energy security.