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Cities play a pivotal role in addressing the growing criticality of raw materials essential for low-carbon and digital technologies, yet the circular management of critical raw materials (CRMs) remains weakly integrated into urban circular economy strategies. This paper explores how municipalities can advance the circularity of CRMs by applying circular economy principles and transition pathway thinking. Building on sustainability transitions literature, the study conceptualizes transition pathways as practical tools for identifying phased municipal actions across different stakeholder groups. Empirically, the research adopts a qualitative multi-case study approach focusing on two urban domains with significant CRM relevance: intelligent renewable energy systems in buildings and electric micromobility. Data were collected through participatory expert workshops and validated through interviews with circular economy and procurement professionals from Finnish municipalities and waste management organizations. The findings identify a range of municipal actions—primarily information-based, complemented by financial and normative instruments—that can support CRM circularity in early and breakthrough phases of urban transitions. Municipalities emerge as facilitators, coordinators, and enablers rather than direct regulators of CRM flows, leveraging tools such as innovative public procurement, urban planning, demonstration projects, and stakeholder collaboration. Despite limited formal authority over CRM-containing product and component flows in the city, municipalities can meaningfully influence markets, behaviours, and business ecosystems. The study contributes to urban circular economy research by advancing a pathway-based approach tailored to CRMs and offering a deployable framework to support municipal decision-making in circular economy and resilience strategies.
Arnold et al. (Fri,) studied this question.