Green, Circular, and Bio Economy

The green economy is a critical component of the twenty-first century’s sustainable development agenda. Green entrepreneurs are assumed to be the drivers of the transition to a green economy in the current debate because they are key actors in negotiating the tension between the green economy and the mainstream economy in their business activities. Green economy, bio economy, and circular economy are all concepts that embrace the idea of holistic economic growth (Tomaselli et al., 2017). Some authors, however, argue that none of them are based on strong sustainability because unlimited growth cannot be reconciled with strong sustainability (Lorek & Fuchs, 2013). Other authors contend that green economy and circular economy are more focused on long-term sustainability than bio economy (Loiseau et al., 2016). Given the global context, green economy has incorporated key elements of circular and bio economy, such as clean technology and renewable energy (Eaton, 2013).Ultimately, considering these concepts as complementary rather than isolated and competing, that of green economy appears to be the most inclusive (D’Amato et al., 2017). All have gained traction globally, attracting the attention of political, economic, and societal actors such as industries, academia, non-governmental organizations, and policymakers, among others. Furthermore, despite their differing assumptions and operationalization strategies, it is critical to highlight the concrete actions and impacts because the three concepts share the goal of reconciling economic, environmental, and social goals.