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In order to ensure economic development and respect of the principle of sustainability, the European Union has introduced a number of innovations in the legal framework and thus provided a large amount of money to modernize the economy. The benefits brought by the new economic model (circular economy) are reflected in the reduction of harmful effects on the environment, increased resource productivity, job creation, reduced dependence on raw material imports, increased competitiveness of the economy and encouraging sustainable economic development. The aim of the paper is to analyse and introduce the circular economy concept and to propose measures, steps and methods to simplify the introduction of the concept into the economy. The paper is structured in such a way that after the introduction follows a call to recent literature. Then it proceeds with performance analysis of the circular economy implication in the countries of the European Union. Subsequently, the authors present the proposals of measures that could be used to implement the circular economy together with a short conclusion at the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green economy, green growth and sustainable development are currently very often used terms. There are many international organizations intensively involved in the field of green growth and sustainable development. Green growth, according to the OECD, is a way how to support economic growth and development, while protecting natural resources, so that we could continue to use the natural resources and environmental services, on which our prosperity depends. One of its aims, especially in developed countries, is green economy building and ensuring social and economic sustainable development. However, it is not always clear how to build a green economy or achieve social and economic activities in the sense of sustainable development. The European Union is a cluster of relatively homogeneous countries, based on similar social and economic development. Ensuring green growth and sustainable development should be a common, coordinated and targeted activity of all European Union countries. The main aim of the paper is to evaluate green growth and sustainable development in the European Union countries using the selected indicators of green growth and selected indicators of sustainable development, including assessment of interregional disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental Citizenship is a key factor in EU's growth strategy (Europe 2020) and its vision for Sustainable Development and Green and Circular economy. Significant behavior change amongst both individuals and organizations is required in order to meet Europe's sustainability objectives and climate change targets. At a general level, policies aimed at changing behavior have tended to rely on two aspects: the introduction of fiscal measures and statutory legislation or market-based measures. Unfortunately, relatively less attention has been given to ecological education and the possibilities for promoting pro-environmental behavior. Environmental Citizenship is not clearly defined and framed in relation to other concepts such as environmental behavior, environmental attitudes, environmental literacy, environmental education, environmental knowledge, awareness and sustainability, the environmental citizenship domain being very complex. Education plays here an important role being a fundamental instrument that contributes to behavioral changes within the society, which is ultimately translated into environmental citizenship. This paper will approach several formal and non-formal education factors that affect environmental citizenship in Romanian education sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]