At present, the world generates over 2 billion tons of municipal solid waste annually, a figure that is projected to increase by 70 percent by 2050. This alarming growth has even more profound consequences that are affecting people and the environment. The rising volume of waste generation is symptomatic of waste management systems that operate far below their optimal potential and with significant variation in performance across countries and cities worldwide. By applying the principles of Circular Economy, solid waste could be substantially reduced or managed in more sustainable ways. However, implementing such change is especially complex in developing countries that face formidable challenges. This is where the need for change is most urgent. Therefore, this dissertation investigates how socio-technical systems in developing countries can be steered toward more circular and sustainable outcomes.
The pathways to achieve more sustainable and circular socio-technical systems are explored in five chapters that focus on key themes such as sustainability transitions, socio-technical experiments, innovation systems and path dependence mechanisms. The introductory chapter outlines the motivation, the problem of waste management in developing countries, the focus of this work and the research approach that was followed. The second chapter provides a critical review of prominent sustainability transition frameworks and evaluates their capacity to guide effective transitions, from identifying barriers to assessing the success of initiatives. The third chapter introduces the methods used across the dissertation chapters.
Chapters four, five and six present the empirical investigation of sustainability and circular transitions in Ghana and explore the dynamics and transition pathways of the solid waste management system at the national (chapter four), city (chapter five) and systemic structural level (chapter six). Chapter four delves into the unique characteristics of transitions in developing countries and demonstrates how overlooking the specificity of transition factors can hinder progress. This is illustrated through a case study on a Waste-to-Energy socio-technical experiment in Ghana. Chapter five examines the mechanisms of path dependence that entrench the linear, unsustainable modes of operation in the Greater Accra metropolis and identifies leverage points for path creation. Chapter six employs system dynamics modelling to quantify the complex, path-dependent structures in Accra's waste management system and tests various stakeholder-proposed scenarios for change.
The dissertation has compiled and developed practical resources, tools and approaches which can assist practitioners, policymakers, and decision-makers to facilitate socio-technical system transitions toward more sustainable modes of operations. It highlights both successful and unsuccessful cases of transition, analyses the complex mechanisms of path dependence, and develops a conceptual framework for operationalising transition strategies. This dissertation makes a significant contribution to redefining how we approach, understand, and improve socio-technical systems across different contexts in both developing and developed countries.
