What is the Regenerative Economy? Is it a new concept and practice, or just the recycling of existing ideas under a new label (“old wine in new wine skins”, as the biblical parable puts it)?
To answer this question, my paper used the metaphor of a tree to present my findings. Here are my key takeaways:
1. ROOTS: Theoretical Foundations - A genealogical analysis found 36 antecedent theories which have contributed to an emergent theory of the regenerative economy, across 5 clusters: socio-ethical, organisational, systems, ecological and integrative theories.
2. TRUNK & BRANCHES: Theory Development - Drawing on these theoretical roots, I derived a synthesis definition of the regenerative economy, 34 related concepts and 6 emergent principles: circularity, resilience, equity, purpose, thrivability, and integration.
3. LEAVES: Macro Applications - I identified 5 categories of government policy / market incentives consistent with the definition and principles of the regenerative economy: circular resources, nature regeneration / ecosystem payments, wellbeing economy, green finance and just transition.
4. FRUIT: Micro Applications - I identified a set of credible regenerative companies and 8 categories of business practices consistent with the definition and principles of the regenerative economy: closed-loop materials, carbon-negative products, repair and reuse at scale, regenerative agriculture sourcing, renewable energy, circular business models, living-wage commitments, and ecosystem & biodiversity restoration.
5. TREE: Theoretical Completeness - I tested and concluded that the emerging theory of the regenerative economy passes 5 of the 8 criteria for theoretical completeness, with progress still to be made on: predictive/generative power, operationalisability, and falsifiability and revision.
This activity contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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SDG 9
Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
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SDG 12
Responsible Consumption and Production
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SDG 13
Climate Action
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SDG 14
Life Below Water
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SDG 15
Life on Land