Circular economy – developing the evidence base
This page outlines the research and analysis shaping the development of the Circular Economy Strategy and guiding the transition to a more circular economy. It includes published work as well as current and planned projects.
Northern Ireland Circularity Gap Report
Circle Economy was commissioned in January 2021 to undertake a Circularity Gap Report (CGR) for Northern Ireland. The CGR has informed the evidence base underpinning the development of the Circular Economy Strategy.
The full CGR and methodology document can be found at: Circularity Gap report Northern Ireland.
Consumer attitudes to the circular economy: Consumer Council
DfE collaborated with the Consumer Council for NI, who commissioned Cognisense to administer a research project to gather information on consumers knowledge, experiences and attitudes in relation to sustainability and a circular economy.
A survey questionnaire was developed in collaboration between DfE and the Consumer Council, where 1,000 Northern Ireland (NI) residents completed this questionnaire online in February 2024. To provide additional insights, the survey was followed by 12 in depth interviews which discussed a number of topics agreed by DfE and Consumer Council.
The research report was published on the Consumer Council website in July 2024: Consumer attitudes to the circular economy | Consumer Council
Circular economy interventions: Steer-ED
In March 2024, Steer Economic Development (Steer-ED) were commissioned by DfE to undertake research to examine the design, delivery and outcomes of successful interventions that have been delivered worldwide to support the transition to a more circular economy. The work aimed to provide a robust evidence base through detailed case studies of potential interventions that could be adopted by the Department as policy strategy and actions develop.
The final report was published on the DfE website in November 2024, which presented five detailed case studies of circular economy initiatives that explain the transformation required at local, regional or national level. This can be found at:
Circular Economy Interventions - final report | Department for the Economy
Research bulletins
Two Research Bulletins have been published by DfE relating to the circular economy:
- Research Bulletin 25/1 - Indicators to Monitor Decarbonisation and the Circular Economy.
This Research Bulletin was released on 29th August 2025 and includes Northern Ireland’s headline carbon footprint estimates up to 2022. It also considers material footprint and territorial emissions, with all three indicators helpful for monitoring decarbonisation and progress towards the circular economy. The bulletin also examines economic growth alongside carbon footprint and territorial emissions.
The Research Bulletin and supplementary tables can be accessed on the Research Bulletins 2025 page.
Research Bulletin 26/3 – Developing Economic Indicators for the Circular Economy
This Research Bulletin was released on 4th September 2026, which sets out the journey of developing an initial set of economic indicators to monitor the circular economy in Northern Ireland, building on international frameworks and existing classifications. The Research Bulletin can be accessed on the Research Bulletins 2026 page.
Material footprint in Northern Ireland
The Material Footprint in Northern Ireland publication was released on Thursday 18th December 2025 by DfE Analytical Services.
This research publication explores the material footprint for NI, where the estimates for Northern Ireland have been produced by the University of Leeds (UoL). This provides an overview of the total material footprint estimates between 2001 and 2022, including detailed breakdowns by material group and per capita estimates over time.
The release and supplementary tables can be accessed on the Material Footprint in Northern Ireland 2001 to 2022 page.
The next publication of Material Footprint in Northern Ireland is due to be released on 21st October 2026.
Carbon footprint in Northern Ireland
The Carbon Footprint in Northern Ireland publication is due to be released on Wednesday 7th October by DfE Analytical Services.
This publication will explore estimates of Northern Ireland's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on a consumption basis, commonly known as the carbon footprint, covering 2001 to 2023, including per capita estimates over time.
Continuous Household Survey (CHS)
NISRA’s Continuous Household Survey has been expanded for the 2025/2026 period to include new circular economy related questions, where analysis is due to be published in November 2026.
DfE Economic Commentary: Circular economy focus piece
The Spring 2024 DfE Economic Commentary included a focus piece on the circular economy, related to developing the evidence base for Northern Ireland. This provided an update on the status of the Circular Economy Strategy, developing the evidence base and metrics, and planned next steps.
This focus piece can be found in the Spring 2024 edition at:
DfE economic commentary | Department for the Economy
Upcoming research or publications
The statistics publication schedule provides dates for upcoming circular economy research or publications produced by Analytical Services in DfE:
Pre-release Access
Upcoming Material Footprint, Carbon Footprint and Continuous Household Survey statistics will be circulated to a limited number of pre-release access recipients in line with the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics Order (Northern Ireland) 2009.