The DOI matches its Crossref record; 64 of the 64 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 2 of the 40 sources its claims cite were checked for support.
The Circular Economy in European Union Policy: Explaining an idea's success through policy learning
Open accessAbstract
AbstractThe circular economy (CE) was adopted in 2015 by the European Union (EU). Since its emergence, the CE has proved to be a remarkably powerful idea that has shifted the understanding of the economy, and consequently, it has shaped the EU's economic and environmental policies. The public policy literature theorises such shifts in collective understanding through the concept of policy learning, a process through which ideas are understood and adopted. Yet this literature lacks clarity on the factors that can explain policy learning within a policy community. We use the case of the EU's adoption of the CE to address this gap, exploring the factors that account for the EU's adoption of the CE from the policy‐learning perspective. We show how actors in the policy community have constructed, championed, supported and pioneered the CE and argue that these four factors have mutually reinforced each other, leading to policy learning and the wide acceptance of this idea within EU policy‐making. Revealing these factors helps advance policy learning theory and contributes to the CE literature and environmental policy and governance literature more generally by furthering our understanding of how and why certain policy ideas are adopted.
Overview
AI snapshot
Written from the paper’s full text.
TL;DR
The paper uses the EU’s adoption of the circular economy (CE) as a case of policy learning to explain why the idea succeeded. It argues four mutually reinforcing factors—idea construction, idea leadership, idea empowerment, and idea pioneership—drove the CE’s entrenchment in EU policy, culminating in the 2015 and 2020 CE Action Plans.
Key findings
- The CE’s adoption is explained by four factors: idea construction, idea leadership, idea empowerment, and idea pioneership; these factors shaped policy learning and reinforced each other through positive feedback loops.
- Idea construction worked through value alignment and problem fitness: the CE was framed as an economic growth agenda and as a solution to environmental problems, attracting business and policy support.
- Idea leadership involved coalition building and policy introduction, notably by Ellen MacArthur/the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and former EU Commissioner Janez Potočnik; the CE was first introduced in the 2014 package, withdrawn in December 2014, then followed by the 2015 CE Action Plan and a second action plan in 2020.
- Policy learning was politically biased: EU policymakers’ ecomodernist positions, powerful advocacy groups, and influential businesses helped enact a modernist version of the CE, while more transformative versions lacked support.
Methods
- Between 2020 and 2021, the lead author conducted and analysed 48 elite interviews with stakeholders involved in the EU CE adoption: 20 policy stakeholders, 12 civil society members, 10 business leaders, and 6 academics.
- Interviewees were selected for first-hand knowledge of EU debates and decision-making around the CE.
- Interviews were analysed inductively using Gioia et al. (2013) to increase qualitative rigour.
Limitations
- The paper states that using a single case study to theorise policy learning inherently limits validity.
- The paper states that the interview scope was limited: it was not possible to access certain actors, such as policymakers who opposed CE adoption or actors supporting more transformative changes at the EU.
Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
55 Own result · 54 Own interpretation · 30 No basis given · 15 Sources not found · 10 Not checked yet · 3 No full text of the sources · 3 Own method · 1 Partly supported · accuracy not yet measured
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“As two powerful policy leaders, MacArthur through the EMF and the former EU Commissioner, Poto ˇ cnik, actively brought together members of the EU policy community to explain the CE and foster its support.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
In the paper
“The Commission, led by Jean-Claude Juncker, withdrew the CE Package in December 2014 (Interviews 1, 18, 20, 21, 25, 29, 31, 38, 46, 48)”
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Interviews 1, 18, 20, 21, 25, 29, 31, 38, 46, 48
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Not matched
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The EMF aligned the CE with a specific set of values to reach and previously excluded audiences, such as business leaders.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Rests on an assumption: At the time of the CE's promotion, the idea of sustainability was in tension with economic policy, as environmental policies were seen as restrictive, placing limitations on businesses and the economy.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“We show how actors in the policy community have constructed, championed, supported and pioneered the CE”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The EMF first advocated for the CE among business leaders and other practitioners to build more sustainable practices in the economy.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“We show how actors in the policy community have constructed, championed, supported and pioneered the CE”
plainSingle case- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Further, it promised to address the need to reduce the environmental impact of productive activity.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This framing of the CE was reproduced by the proponents of the CE and the members of the policy community that engaged with the EMF, such as business leaders and policy-makers.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
In the paper
“It was proposed by the Barroso Commission through idea leadership (Interviews 1, 18, 20, 21, 25, 29, 31, 38, 46).”
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Interviews 1, 18, 20, 21, 25, 29, 31, 38, 46
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Not matched
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Importantly, one of the most attractive qualities of the CE was the way in which it was perceived to create a win -win narrative with few, if any, losers (Interviews 1, 10, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 26).”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- It may state two separate claims as one. 63
- Probably not a substantial claim. 30
The cited sources support only part of this claim — read each source’s verdict below.
In the paper
“In the European Union (EU), the Commission and Parliament have embraced the idea of the CE and embedded it into policy, adopting a hybrid vision that more closely aligns with reformist and modernist visions of circularity (Alberich et al., 2022; Friant et al., 2021; Hartley et al., 2020).”
What the sources say
- Partly supportedcites Alberich et al., 2022 sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
Section 4.6 describes the European Commission’s circular-economy policies as a hybrid dominated by circular modernism, and Section 4 describes their incorporation into policy. The paper identifies the other influence as “planned circularity,” not a reformist vision, and the cited passages do not establish that the Parliament adopted the same approach. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.87)
- Not matchedcites Friant et al., 2021
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
- Partly supportedcites Hartley et al., 2020 sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
Section 2.3 (page unavailable) describes the European Commission’s 2015 Circular Economy Action Plan, supporting the claim that the Commission incorporated circular-economy ideas into policy. The passage does not address the Parliament or characterize the EU’s approach as a hybrid of reformist and modernist visions. (LLM, conf=0.86)
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
- Partly supported
In the paper
“The EMF advocated for the CE by engaging with key members of the policy community, such as business leaders and researchers, and through the publication of relevant reports such as Towards the CE co-authored by McKinsey and the EMF (2012) (Interviews 1, 38, 46, 48).”
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Interviews 1, 38, 46, 48
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
- Not matched
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The EMF framed the CE in such a way that it was seen to benefit the economy by avoiding costs in the consumption of materials and avoided environmental preservation as an explicit objective (Interviews 1, 2, 8, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30).”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“In 2012, MacArthur was personally invited to participate in the discussions of the Resource Efficiency Stakeholder Platform to discuss the development of resource efficiency policies by the EU.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: fails — The paper may give no reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“showing how four key factors shaped learning: (1) idea construction, (2) idea leadership, (3) idea empowerment and (4) idea pioneership, and their feedback loops.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Although some productive sectors may be negatively affected, in the long term, the CE was seen to enable the generation of jobs and growth, offsetting the potential job losses caused by this transition.”
hedgeddirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Policy-makers noted that industry welcomed the idea and sought to engage with it.”
plainSingle case- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Although the EMF primarily framed the CE as an idea capable of economic reform, it also presented it as a policy solution to the existing and worsening environmental crisis.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Poto ˇ cnik, also advocated across the EU to build support for the adoption of CE-based policies.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“In 2009, the EMF created the CE100, a set of 100 businesses that supported the CE, expanding the CE policy community with the inclusion of corporate stakeholders.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Ellen MacArthur, through the EMF, and the former EU Commissioner, Dr Janez Poto ˇ cnik, were two of the most notable leaders that promoted the adoption of CE-based policies in the EU.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: fails — The paper may give no reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds. It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The idea of the CE steadily gained support among economic practitioners, and shortly after its creation, the EMF was invited to EU stakeholder consultations designed to shape EU policies.”
plaincorrelational- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“In these meetings, she advocated for the adoption of CE-based policies to meet the EU's ambitions in resource use and to build more sustainable practices in the economy.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The EMF framed the CE in two ways; (1) aligning it with a set of values (value alignment), and it avoided potentially difficult environmental and sustainabilityrelated jargon.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The last factor that emerged during the process of adoption of the CE is idea pioneership, and the set of practices by practitioners, mostly businesses, that started including the idea in their products and services, transforming the CE from an economic idea to an economic reality on a small scale.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“These practices not only provide evidence of the feasibility of a certain idea but also provide an endorsement of certain practitioners of this idea (Interviews 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 25, 26, 29, 30, 32, 33, 42).”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Finally, idea pioneership provides evidence of the CE's feasibility and endorsement from economic actors and practitioners.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Professional industry lobbyists possess more resources to advocate for their interests in comparison to competing organisations such as environmental organisations and labour unions, leading to an overrepresentation of industry interests in engagement activities, such as their presence in stakeholder platforms or policy discussions, and more influence in such forums (Interviews 11, 24, 25, 29, 30,”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“In this case, professional industry lobbyists pressured policy-makers to weaken or remove the CE from policy, stakeholder groups built by idea leadership subsequently advocated for the CE's re-adoption, and citizen and social movement pressure more broadly focused attention on the need to address the environmental emergency and mitigate issues such as climate change and pollution.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“These cases were used as examples to explain the nature of the CE and its feasibility to policy-makers.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Poto ˇ cnik agreed with this suggestion and advocated the development of a legislative package inspired by the CE, leading to the publication of the CE Package of 2014.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Although EU institutions have promoted sustainable strategies for a long time, societal pressure to improve the EU's sustainability performance has increased in the last few years.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This stakeholder pressure led to new negotiations between the EC and the Resource Efficiency Stakeholder Platform and the publication of the first CE Action Plan in December 2015.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“We found that policy leaders were critical in engaging stakeholders to support the CE and introducing the debate on the CE to the political agenda.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The benefits of this endorsement for a specific version of the CE are based on supporting new business opportunities and generating growth (Interviews 11, 24).”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Consequently, the Juncker Commission had to rectify the situation and quickly changed its narrative and promised a new CE strategy for the EU (Interviews 1, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 29, 31, 33, 34, 36, 38, 39, 42, 44, 47).”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The EC maintained the mandate to develop the CE in the EU, and it remains one of the EC's main priorities (Interviews 1, 15, 17, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 36, 38, 45, 48).”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This pressure was exerted in three ways, through professional advocacy lobbies, consultations with stakeholder groups, and by broader social movements and citizens actions.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: fails — The paper may give no reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper may give no reason why it holds. It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This was the first time the CE had been the central idea in an EU policy.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: fails — The paper may give no reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Policy-makers and key actors within the EU acknowledged an increase in citizen pressure to adopt sustainable policies, especially in the last few years, with the emergence of new citizen platforms, such as Fridays for Future and Extinction Rebellion, and the increase of electoral support for the Green parties across the EU.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“In the case of idea empowerment, we distinguished between three different kinds of support for policy ideas, from general citizen and social movement support to professional advocacy and the support of acknowledged stakeholders and policy-makers.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Phillips proposed a business case where it would directly sell light instead of lightbulbs, maintaining the ownership of lightbulbs and hence, the materials used to manufacture them, and assuming the responsibility to repair or recycle them.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Also, it can influence policy leaders by providing visible support and endorsement of their proposals and even providing resources for them (Interviews 1, 3, 18, 23, 26, 29, 31, 35, 36, 38).”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Once Commissioner Poto ˇ cnik's mandate ended, the CE was already on the EU's political agenda, where it has remained.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This framing allowed the for the broad engagement of relevant industry stakeholders and constructed the CE as a strategy compatible with the current economic and political power structures, presenting low social and economic transitional costs.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Also, the EMF and McKinsey published the report ' Towards the CE ' in 2012, where they formulated a definition of the CE and promoted its adoption.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: fails — The paper may give no reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper may give no reason why it holds. It may state two separate claims as one.
In the paper
“The CE was initially constructed with the publication of Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment by Pearce and Turner (1990) and subsequently by consultancy firms such as the EMF and McKinsey, without the influence of foreign countries.”
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Pearce and Turner, 1990
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: unclear — It is unclear why the paper says it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
- Not matched
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The CE is the case of an idea that was relatively unknown when it was first published in 1990, yet it has gained relevance and support since then to the point that this concept defines EU strategies for a sustainable economy.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“The literature on policy learning emphasises the relationships between experts and policy-makers and their ability to share knowledge and ideas (Dunlop, 2017; Polman, 2018; Trein, 2018).”
What the sources say
plaincorrelational- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim.
In the paper
“Dunlop and Radaelli (2013) identified how experts can have different degrees of influence on policy-makers, as they can act as teachers and be very influential, they can be partially influential, or they can be contested or even ignored by policy-makers.”
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Dunlop & Radaelli, 2013
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Not matched
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Such win -win narratives minimised opposition and widened the range of supporters to include powerful industry actors.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This conciliation enabled a narrative that promised to address the environmental emergency and was key for its adoption.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“argue that these four factors have mutually reinforced each other, leading to policy learning and the wide acceptance of this idea within EU policymaking.”
plaindirectSingle case- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
In the paper
“Finally, the lead author analysed the interviews using Gioia et al. (2013) to increase the qualitative rigour through careful investigation of all the collected information through an inductive approach.”
What the sources say
- Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Gioia et al., 2013 source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
In the paper
“As a result of this counter-reaction, the Juncker Commission had to review its position and started a negotiation process to create a new CE-based policy (Interviews 1, 18, 20, 21, 25, 29, 31, 38, 46, 48).”
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Interviews 1, 18, 20, 21, 25, 29, 31, 38, 46, 48
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
- Not matched
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“The CE provoked a change in how EU policy-makers made sense of the economy and solidified into a set of new policy strategies towards sustainability (Leipold, 2021).”
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites Leipold, 2021 source
Checked before — its earlier verdict is held back until a new check runs.
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
- Not checked yet
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“Although epistemic communities play a key role in inducing policy learning and in influencing the policy debate (Dunlop, 2017), policy can also be influenced by a wider array of actors beyond acknowledged experts (Milkoreit, 2017).”
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Dunlop, 2017
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
- Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Milkoreit, 2017 source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may state two separate claims as one.
- Not matched
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This leadership led several practitioners to pioneer the idea of the CE and include the notion of circularity within new business models.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
In the paper
“This led to the publication and implementation of the first CE Action Plan of 2015 (European Commission, 2015).”
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites European Commission, 2015
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
- Not matched
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Yet this literature lacks clarity on the factors that can explain policy learning within a policy community.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: fails — The paper may give no reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper may give no reason why it holds.
None of the sources cited for this claim could be matched to a paper in Crossref, so there is nothing to check it against.
In the paper
“The CE became embedded within EU policy ambitions and discourses among policy-makers in particular and the EU policy community in general, resulting in the publication of the CE Action Plan of 2015 (European Commission, 2015) and its consolidation 5 years later with the publication of a second action plan in 2020 (European Commission, 2020).”
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites European Commission, 2015
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
- Not matchedcites European Commission, 2020
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
- Not matched
What the paper did — it cites no source for this, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The interviewees were selected on the basis of their first-hand knowledge and experience of debates, discussions and decision-making within the EU that led to the CE's adoption into policy.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Since its emergence, the CE has proved to be a remarkably powerful idea that has shifted the understanding of the economy, and consequently, it has shaped the EU's economic and environmental policies.”
boosteddirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: unclear — It is unclear why the paper says it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“The concept of policy communities in policy learning research acknowledges the broader range of voices beyond acknowledged experts (Coleman et al., 1996; Skogstad, 2005).”
What the sources say
- Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Coleman et al., 1996 source
- Not matchedcites Skogstad, 2005
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“First, framing the CE in terms favourable to business interests makes this concept more appealing to the current powerful vested interests in the EU and requires low social and economic transitional costs.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“These different sources of political pressure provided critical support to empower the CE and promote its adoption in EU policies.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This research provides a framework of four factors that are critical to assessing the potential of a concept to be successfully learned by policy actors.”
plainSingle case- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Stakeholder engagement around the CE was fostered by the advocacy tasks of the EMF, promoting the CE and engaging business leaders and society in general, and Poto ˇ cnik's work creating engagement within the EU institutions and within the Resource Efficiency stakeholder platform.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This pressure empowers an idea and enables it to shape public policy.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The four factors described above influenced the understanding of the CE among policy actors and persuaded them to adopt a very specific version of the CE.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“In the case of the CE, policy-makers and other relevant actors were more likely to accept and adopt the CE if it received explicit support from different members of the policy community as well as by citizens and social movements, but this pressure can also influence how the CE is being materialised into policy by influencing policy scope, timing, approach and ambition.”
hedgedconditional- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“The factors that explain learning are not new in the literature on public policy.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
In the paper
“The inclusion of the concept of the policy community within this research (Skogstad, 2005) and the adoption of an inductive approach to this case of policy learning allowed us to identify new factors that account for policy learning.”
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Skogstad, 2005
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirectSingle case- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may state two separate claims as one.
- Not matched
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Although this decision was later changed, it illustrates the influence of industry's professional lobbyists on the decisionmaking process, an influence that remained throughout the design of the CE-based policies.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“However, these factors have also reinforced each other, creating a set of positive feedback loops that amplified the influence of the identified factors on policy-makers and can help explain the success of these factors in creating policy change (see Table 3).”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Such coalition building was critical for policy learning as it enabled powerful and relevant policy community's members to support and adopt the CE and promote it through their own networks.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
In the paper
“Social movements and citizens from outside the policy community have the ability to influence the policy sphere by mobilising or protesting against particular elements of the social order or policies (Kübler, 2001).”
What the sources say
- Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites Kübler, 2001 source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This leadership enabled political support for the CE and opened up a debate on the need to build CE-based policies in the EU institutions.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“These three kinds of pressure promoted policy learning by empowering the CE but also by ensuring it materialised into policy.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The practices of pioneers are equally affected by idea construction, as economic actors are likely to integrate CE practices if these align with their values and interests, enabling the reproduction of the CE on a practical scale (Interviews 1, 8, 10, 13, 15, 21, 22, 30, 39).”
hedgedconditional- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The difference between the pressure from social movements and citizens and that from industry lobbyists and stakeholders is that the latter aimed directly and specifically to influence policy-makers, while pressure from citizens is vaguer, and it generally comes in the form of generalist public concerns towards great issues such as sustainability.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: fails — The paper may give no reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds. It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This step was critical for the development of the CE, as Poto ˇ cnik's work within the EC transformed the CE from an economic idea to a specific policy proposal and opened up the CE discussion within the EU institutions.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“Other scholars have also identified how idea framing plays a key role in how groups of policy actors interact with policy ideas and concepts, either adopting them or disagreeing with them (Ballew et al., 2019; Lakoff, 2010; Liou et al., 2021; Sanderson et al., 2018).”
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites Ballew et al., 2019 source
Checked before — its earlier verdict is held back until a new check runs.
- Not checked yetcites Lakoff, 2010 source
Checked before — its earlier verdict is held back until a new check runs.
- Not matchedcites Liou et al., 2021
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Not checked yet
In the paper
“A second contribution of this research is the inclusion of the concept of policy communities in the policy learning literature (Skogstad, 2005).”
What the sources say
- Not matchedcites Skogstad, 2005
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim.
- Not matched
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“They clarify how professionalised advocacy, policy leaders' preexisting values, and the influence of economic actors reinforce less transformative visions within these arenas.”
boosteddirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Namely, idea construction clarifies the role of ideas in contributing to policy learning.”
boosteddirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: fails — It may be too vague to check against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may be too vague to check against evidence.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This factor has the potential to open up a new perspective on policy learning as it relates to how practitioners and other actors that are not policy-makers can influence policy learning from their position as practitioners.”
hedgedconditional- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: fails — It may be too vague to check against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may be too vague to check against evidence.
What the paper did — it cites no source for this, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Although we carefully selected the interviewees to obtain a representative vision of the policy community, it was not possible to access certain actors, such as the policymakers that opposed to the CE adoption or actors that support more transformative changes at the EU.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“These new factors provide a more comprehensive approach to addressing policy learning in future research.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: fails — It may be too vague to check against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may be too vague to check against evidence.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Fourth, we have identified how these factors not only contribute to policy learning but also reinforce each other, maximising their effect in the policy arena.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The findings also show how social movements and citizens can bring attention to environmental issues, counteracting these powerful forces and creating windows of opportunity for more ambitious and transformative change.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Other elements, such as leadership, also play a critical role, as policy leaders provide the necessary agency to open up certain debates within the policy sphere and can empower certain ideas.”
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: unclear — It is unclear why the paper says it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Also, the identification of idea pioneership represents a relevant factor for policy learning that is still relatively under-researched.”
plaincorrelational- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: fails — It may be too vague to check against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: fails — The paper may give no reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may be too vague to check against evidence. The paper may give no reason why it holds.
In the paper
“The choice of using a single case study to theorise policy-learning has inherently limited validity (Flyvbjerg, 2006).”
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites Flyvbjerg, 2006 source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
What the paper did — it cites no source for this, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The second limitation is the limited scope of conducted interviews.”
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
The paper relies on this without support.
At the time of the CE's promotion, the idea of sustainability was in tension with economic policy, as environmental policies were seen as restrictive, placing limitations on businesses and the economy.
“At that time, the idea of sustainability was in tension with economic policy, as environmental policies were seen as restrictive, placing limitations on businesses and the economy.”
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.
Rated minor: it would not touch a result — a value no result rests on, a p-value that stays on the same side of the significance level, or a conflict that is clerical, resolved elsewhere in the paper, or outside its own findings.
In the paper
§ Funding information · p. 1
“HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, Grant/Award Number: 814247”
§ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS · p. 10
“This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (H2020-MSCA-ITN2018) scheme, grant agreement number 814247 (ReTraCE).”
Citations
Cites
Five misunderstandings about case-study research
Flyvbjerg, B. (2006) · Qualitative Inquiry · doi:10.1177/1077800405284363 · Cited by 14,266
Seeking Qualitative Rigor in Inductive Research: Notes on the Gioia Methodology
Gioia, D. A., Corley, K. G., & Hamilton, A. L. (2013) · Organizational Research Methods · doi:10.1177/1094428112452151 · Cited by 13,227
Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies
Perry, J. L., & Kingdon, J. W. (1985) · Journal of Policy Analysis and Management · doi:10.2307/3323801 · Cited by 11,238
Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment
Segerson, K., Pearce, D., & Turner, R. K. (1991) · Land Economics · doi:10.2307/3146419 · Cited by 2,331
Hickel, J., & Kallis, G. (2020) · New Political Economy · doi:10.1080/13563467.2019.1598964 · Cited by 2,007
Social Skill and the Theory of Fields
Fligstein, N. (2001) · Sociological Theory · doi:10.1111/0735-2751.00132 · Cited by 1,712
The emergence of circular economy: a new framing around prolonging resource productivity
Blomsma, F., & Brennan, G. (2017) · Journal of Industrial Ecology · doi:10.1111/jiec.12603 · Cited by 1,383
Why it Matters How We Frame the Environment
Lakoff, G. (2010) · Environmental Communication · doi:10.1080/17524030903529749 · Cited by 789
The Oxford Handbook of International Environmental Law
Hey, E., Bodansky, D., & Brunnée, J. (2008) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/law/9780199552153.001.0001 · Cited by 694
Systematising Policy Learning: From Monolith to Dimensions
Dunlop, C. A., & Radaelli, C. M. (2012) · Political Studies · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9248.2012.00982.x · Cited by 621
Research works printed but not linked: 5
- Balch O., 2014, European Commission to decide fate of circular economy package
- Crisp J., 2014, Commission plans to ditch circular economy and air pollution rules
- Ekins P., 2019, The circular economy: What, why, how and where
- Heclo H., 1974, HecloModern social politics in Britain and Sweden
- Skogstad G., 2005, Policy networks and policy communities: Conceptual evolution and governing realities, Annual Meeting of the Canadian Political Science Association, 1
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Circular Economy: A Review of Review Articles
Hossain, M., Park, S., Suchek, N., & Pansera, M. (2024) · Business Strategy and the Environment · doi:10.1002/bse.3867 · Cited by 77
Is circular economy a failing sustainability paradigm? Not necessarily
Kirchherr, J., & Hartley, K. (2025) · Journal of Industrial Ecology · doi:10.1111/jiec.70055 · Cited by 44
Pereira, G. M., Borchardt, M., Viegas, C. V., Bond, A., Vendrametto, O., & Milan, G. S. (2024) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142765 · Cited by 15
CIRCULAR ECONOMIC CONCEPT: CONTRIBUTION TO MACROECONOMIC GROWTH
Petrukha, N., Petrukha, S., Maidaniuk, S., Akimov, O., & Makarevych, O. (2025) · International Journal of Ecosystems and Ecology Science (IJEES) · doi:10.31407/ijees15.317 · Cited by 11
Dam, T. H. T., Grundmann, P., Orozco, R., & Reyhani, M. N. (2025) · Sustainable Production and Consumption · doi:10.1016/j.spc.2025.08.005 · Cited by 9
Metadata
- Authors
- Pinyol Alberich, J., & Hartley, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Exeter Business School Exeter UK
- University of Exeter (GB)
- Venue
- Environmental Policy and Governance
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2023-11-20
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 363-374
- ISSN
- 1756-932X (ISSN-L)
- 1756-9338
- OpenAlex
- W4388851379
- Cited by
- 13
- References
- 64
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 2
- FWCI
- 7.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Environmental Policy and Governance (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Open Research Exeter (University of Exeter) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (814247)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Policy Transfer and Learning
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › European Union Policy and Governance
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
- Keywords
- circular economy, policy learning, European Union policy, policy communities, environmental policy, policy making
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
A language model drew the claims from the paper on 2026-11-10, under version 3 of the claim definition (model deepseek-v4.1-flash, prompt extract-v3).
A second model labelled each claim on 2026-11-10 (model jev-1.13-20260917, definition revision gold-guideline-v0.2).
Cited sources are checked with a language model’s help (gpt-6-sol).
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
How to cite
Cite CoChat for the checks on this page, and the paper for its own findings.
- This page
- CoChat. (2026). Citation check: The Circular Economy in European Union Policy: Explaining an idea's success through policy learning. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1002/eet.2088
- The paper
- Pinyol Alberich, J., & Hartley, S. (2024). The Circular Economy in European Union Policy: Explaining an idea's success through policy learning. Environmental Policy and Governance. https://doi.org/10.1002/eet.2088