A Circular Economic Model for a Sustainable City in South Asia

Abstract

In the process of development, beginning with the initial conceptualizations that involve any disturbance or alteration to the natural environment, it is mandatory to consider sustainability, a concept which includes a set of considerations that immerged to reduce global environmental threats. Since detrimental effects of rapid development are not confined to the immediate context of application, this consideration takes on ever greater urgency. Although rapid growths of economies have been achieved in the South Asian region, the development patterns that are observable are not conducive to either human society or to the natural environment. This paper proposes a sustainable circular economic model for a South Asian city by extending a case study done for a selected demographic and ecological boundary in Sri Lanka. The model is based on the contemporary illustration of ‘strong sustainability’ as three nested circles, which is different to the traditional illustration of sustainability that uses the Venn diagram: the confluence of the three pillars indicated by three circles. This concept paper, which elaborates the afore-mentioned model, provides a basic guideline for further development of cities in contexts rich in natural resources and habitats in South Asia, allowing for the preservation or refinement of natural settings. The output of the research, the Circular Economic Model applied to a Sri Lankan city, will serve as a model to support the reduction of indiscreet development that is taking place, and allow the user to envision appropriate routes towards sustainable development in the South Asian region.