Assessment of the technological efficiency of production and consumption of EU countries in the context of circular economy

Abstract

The intensive use of non-renewable production resources and the associated growing environmental pollution forces us to look for new methods of halting these negative trends. Circular economy is one such method. This phenomenon is the subject of numerous studies attempting to assess its condition at both the micro and macro levels, the implementation of circular economy strategies, its environmental impact, the context of waste generation, etc. On the other hand, little attention is paid to assessing its efficiency. Technological efficiency, i.e., the relationship between material footprint and waste generation, is of particular importance, since the amount of waste generated primarily depends on the technology used at the time of production. Thus, this paper aims to analyse and assess the development of technological efficiency over a certain period of time. Further, it is necessary not only to build on the results of development at the end of this period, but also to assess the extent of the changes that have taken place during it in order to reflect the actual state of affairs. Thus, the final result takes into account both the intensity of the development of technological efficiency and the importance of its current state to the overall development process.