Circular economy (CE) is increasingly seen as a promising paradigm for transitioning agri-food systems towards more sustainable models of production and consumption, enabling virtuous and regenerative biological metabolisms based on strategies of eco-efficiency and eco-effectiveness. This contribution seeks to provide a theoretical and empirical framework for operationalizing the CE principles into the olive oil supply chain, that plays a central role in the agroecological systems of the Mediterranean region. A scoping literature review has been conducted in order to identify the available pathways so far explored by scholars for reshaping the olive oil supply chain from a circular perspective. The analyzed literature has been charted on the base of the circular pathway examined, and according to the supply chain subsystem(s) to which it refers. Results are discussed highlighting the main issues, the technology readiness level of the available pathways, the prevailing approaches and knowledge gaps. A synthetic evidence map is provided, framing visually the scrutinized pathways into the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s CE ‘butterfly’ graph. The work is intended to be a valuable baseline for inquiring how circularity can be advanced in the specific supply chain of olive oil, and which are the strategic opportunities, as well as the barriers to overcome, in order to foster the transition.

The objective of this research is to gain knowledge in the process of basin closure of a Mediterranean European river. The paper analyses the evolution of water demand and interactions between users and water resources, focusing on irrigation as the main actor of change. The Guadalquivir River Basin has been managed through a centralized and hierarchical system for almost 80 years, which facilitated the evolution of a large and profitable agricultural sector that in turn has driven the basin towards closure, defined as those basins with a relatively small amount of uncommitted run-off. We distinguish the following elements in the evolution towards closure: (a) decreasing farm income; (b) increase in irrigated area and factor intensification as a response to this; (c) expansion of irrigation to formerly rainfed crops (i.e. olive groves); (d) new demand from other sectors; (e) increase in environmental flow control; (f) reduction in water allocation; (g) increase in water costs; (h) introduction of water saving technologies; (i) mainstream adoption of deficit irrigation; and (j) administrative basin closure. The push towards water saving and efficiency increases is now leading to the emergence of two new driving forces: (k) increase in water productivity and (l) more inelastic irrigation demand, which, paradoxically, could lead to higher vulnerability to extreme events, as well as a further increase in water consumption. Although most of the drivers, pressures and processes are common among other closed basins around the world, three factors make the Guadalquivir distinct: the cultivation of high-value irrigated Mediterranean crops, a predominance of deficit irrigation and a large investment in water saving technologies.

A comprehensive economic analysis of the associated costs and benefits derived from wastewater treatment is a prerequisite for ensuring long-term economic, environmental, and social sustainability. This study aims to improve the economic evaluation of wastewater reuse. A methodological framework is presented for the application of cost-benefit analysis to wastewater project plants. The method considers two alternative scenarios for the irrigation use of treated water: (i) for newly irrigated land; and (ii) as an alternative to current groundwater sources. A case study is carried out in Puglia, Southern Italy, where two thirds of irrigation water comes from groundwater. The results show that improved urban wastewater treatment would increase the regional availability of irrigation water by 60 million m3 per year, about 10% of the overall irrigation water demand. While treatment costs are highly dependent on the incoming effluent quality and plant size, the benefits are quite stable. These results point to a case-specific analysis, whereby the economic convenience of wastewater reuse could be assessed against the local context.