Circular Bioeconomy and Knowledge Management: A Comparative Study of Evolving Practices

Abstract

Circular bioeconomy (CBE) represents a pathway toward sustainable development by integrating circular economy principles with bio-based resource utilisation to reduce waste and optimise value creation. This paper examines how knowledge management (KM) practices enable systemic change within circular bioeconomy ecosystems, focusing on knowledge creation, sharing, and strategic application. Building on insights from the foundational CITISYSTEM 2023 study, which explored stakeholder perspectives on circularity and knowledge flows, we compare the data collected in 2023 for the 2024 study with new, more comprehensive data collected in 2025. This comparative approach provides a longitudinal view of the evolving practices, technological adoption, and cultural dynamics shaping the transition towards circularity. The results show that policy development between 2023 and 2025 varied significantly across regions. Three regions – Päijät‑Häme (Finland), Košice (Slovakia), and Catalonia (Spain) – introduced updates or expanded implementation tools that strengthened strategic coherence and operational capacity. Others, such as Gorenjska (Slovenia) and Central Macedonia (Greece), saw little or no formal policy change. Stakeholder collaboration also differed widely. Regions with strong, diverse networks – such as Flanders (Belgium), Catalonia (Spain), and Košice (Slovakia) – were able to share knowledge more effectively and maintain more active policy environments, while regions with limited or fragmented networks progressed more slowly. By analysing trends over time, this study highlights the critical role of KM in fostering organisational learning, innovation, and resilience within circular bioeconomy contexts. It underscores the importance of integrating KM into educational frameworks and governance structures to effectively support the continuity and scaling of circular practices. Practical insights into the current situation in the six diverse EU regions are provided for academia, industry, and policymakers to leverage KM as a strategic enabler of broader systemic transformation. Overall, this comparative study contributes to understanding how knowledge ecosystems evolve and how they can accelerate the transition toward a more sustainable, inclusive, bio-based economy.