Urban Circularity in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Comparative Case Study of Bogotá and Mexico City

Cities are implementing circular economy (CE) strategies to contribute to their environmental ambitions, including in Latin America and the Caribbean, one of the world’s most rapidly growing and urbanized regions. This study investigates how the CE is envisioned in Bogotá, Colombia, and Mexico City, Mexico, and evaluates how applicable the Urban Circularity Assessment Framework is in different contexts. We find narrow CE visions and strategies in both cities, with low engagement with different stakeholder groups and limited consideration of CE impacts. While the framework applies to different contexts, it has a limited focus on contextual factors to reflect on social, cultural, and institutional characteristics. Highlighting the importance of place-based CE strategies, our study advocates for integrating technology-driven and human-centered approaches to avoid replicating similar CE misconceptions found in other cities and instead foster inclusive and sustainable urban transitions in the region.