City Government’s Pursuit of Circular Economy from an Industrial Park

City Government’s Pursuit of Circular Economy from an Industrial Park: Taiwan’s Largest Feasible Scope of Industrial Symbiosis in Reality

Gao, Y.

Korevaar, G. (mentor)
Hu, M. (mentor)

Technology, Policy and Management

Engineering, Systems and Services

2016-08-25

Circular economy is an economic model aiming at decoupling economic growth from the consumption of finite resources. It attracts attention to system changes at all levels, and Taoyuan City Government devotes itself to the circular economy development as well. Nevertheless, the Taoyuan environmental protection park, with the early ambition of developing an eco-industrial park, currently consists of only homogenous waste treatment enterprises. This research aims to explore the possible future of the park and the largest scope of symbiosis from the city government’s perspective. It also attempts to enhance the understanding of the relationship between circular economy and industrial symbiosis. Previous literature shows that no single, universal theory can be expected to predict the emergence of industrial symbiosis. Regional difference together with contextual factors play a huge role in the industrial symbiosis and circular economy development. Several interviews have been conducted with city government officials, business representatives from the park, public administrators, and the non-government advocate. This research adopts the integrated mixed-level analysis, comprising the SWOT analysis and the context analysis, to present the holistic case knowledge and to structure the key factors. The sway between a globalized neo-liberal economy and a localized circular economy is addressed. Mainly due to the small scope, the industry type, and the inherently weak geographical location, the conclusion is to maintain the achieved sustainability of the park and not to develop into an eco-industrial park. Considering the political and economic reality at the macro-global level, six other recommendations are formulated to facilitate a circular economy from the Taoyuan city government’s perspective. The key findings have been validated by all interviewees and are presented to the city government as policy advice.

Taiwan
industrial symbiosis
circular economy
industrial park
city government
context analysis

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:3eaecc9f-bfe3-4ff8-a13c-87fc5c03d785

2017-08-25

Student theses

master thesis

(c) 2016 Gao, Y.