The aim of this research project is to make advancements in the analysis of the barriers and drivers of the low carbon and circular economy transitions, adopting an economic and econometric lens but in a way that will be open to interdisciplinary approaches. The scrutinized transitions require actions both from institutions and from firms and consumers, in order to be feasible, and a significant number of potential complementarities and trade-offs needs to be addressed. This project will contribute and provide food for thought both for research and for policy making. More specifically, the aims of this project will be twofold:1. Highlight relevant (traditional and innovative) policies that are expected to enhance the transition, measuring at the same time the degree of implementation, and2. Analyse empirically and rationalize theoretically the most relevant drivers of the low carbon and circular economy transitions, by measuring consumers’ attitudes and behaviours, and by understanding relevant drivers that may potentially improve or worsen policy and other interventions’ results by triggering complementarities or trade-offs.Under a policy perspective, a broad as well as case-study based approach may be adopted,focusing on interventions ranging from traditional ones (e.g. from environmental market based approaches to demand side Green Public Procurement strategies), to “behavioural” ones, for example based on consumers’ motivation and choice architecture.

The ideal candidate for this project has a degree in Economics or related fields, and also features a good quantitative background (statistics and/or econometrics), together with a strong interest in learning advanced techniques for analysis. The interdisciplinarity of the project does not exclude, in principle, the possibility of mixed approaches (quantitative/qualitative).

The project will benefit of the very lively and high level research environment of the Department of Economics and Finance (DEF), Faculty of Economics, at the Tor Vergata University. The high quality of research is, in general, testified (among other things) by the award of the 2018-22 Department of Excellence MUR funding. Also, research in Environmental Economics has a long tradition in the context of the Department’s activities, and several relevant events have been hosted by the Faculty of Economics (just to mention a few: the 2011 EAERE Annual Conference, the 2017 IAERE Annual Conference, the 2019 IAERE School on Green and Climate Finance, the 2021 SEEDS Workshop). Researchers from DEF that work in the fields of Environmental and Ecological Economics have been and are involved in high level publication efforts (including, among others, papers published in international journals such as Ecological Economics, Environmental and Resource Economics, European Economic Review, Resource and Energy Economics) on topics related to the project. Finally, project development will also benefit from the involvement of the University of Tor Vergata in the SEEDS inter-university network (www.Sustainability-seeds.Org). SEEDS units are involved in international projects, such as the 2022-26 ETC/CE - European Topic Centre on Circular Economy and Resources use, that supports the European Environment Agency (EEA) in designing strategies along the green and circular economy transitions.