A framework to allocate responsibilities of the global environmental concerns: A case study in Spain involving regions, municipalities, productive sectors, industrial parks, and companies

• Published in: Ecological economics 2022-02, Vol.192, p.107258, Article 107258
• Main Authors: Suárez-Eiroa, Brais, Fernández, Emilio, Soto-Oñate, David, Ovejero-Campos, Aida, Urbieta, Pablo, Méndez, Gonzalo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Circular economy; Environmental management; Planetary boundaries; Safe operating space; Socio-ecological system
• ISSN: 0921-8009; 1873-6106
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107258

This paper presents the responsible operating space (ROS) framework, a framework that includes both the common governance of the global environmental concerns and the comprehensive management of environmental sustainability. The ROS framework determines environmental objectives regarding the global concerns using a footprint perspective, and defines coherent integrated environmental objectives for the production and consumption processes at different territorial scales. In this case study, we firstly estimated the global ROS, as well as both the consumption-side ROS and the production-side ROS of Spain. Then, the national ROS was transferred to the 17 Spanish regions and was further extended to the 313 municipalities of one of the regions (Galicia). Finally, we transferred the ROS to 163 sectors, as well as to one industrial park and several companies. Our results demonstrate that, even assuming the methodological limitations and scarcity of data, it is already possible to allocate objectives and decentralize the management of global environmental concerns even at municipal and company levels. The role of circular economy under the ROS framework is also discussed on the basis of the potential coexistence of circularity with an unsustainable production-consumption system. •Coherent reduction targets at municipal and company levels can be calculated.•The framework allows integrating circular economy actions at different scales.•Decentralized management of the global environmental concerns is achievable.•The framework boosts the operationalization of environmental sustainability.•The framework can be integrated into a holistic sustainable development plan.