Advancing the circular economy in Latin American and Caribbean cities

The report assesses the circular economy (CE) strategies of Bogotá and Buenos Aires, identifying a common over-reliance on waste management and a lack of holistic, long-term visions. It emphasizes the critical role of the informal waste sector, which supports millions of livelihoods in the region, and advocates for their formal integration into urban governance. Key recommendations include adopting the 10-R framework to move beyond recycling toward refusing and rethinking consumption, improving waste infrastructure, and implementing extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes.

• Bogotá lacks a shared, holistic circular economy vision, with current efforts scattered across different city plans and often disrupted by changes in local government.
• Both Bogotá and Buenos Aires focus heavily on waste management and recycling, but Buenos Aires has a narrower vision centered on climate ambitions rather than broader sustainable development.
• Informal waste pickers are essential to the circular economy in Latin America and the Caribbean, with over four million people depending on this economy for their livelihoods.
• The transition to a circular economy in Latin American and Caribbean cities is hindered by a lack of data and tools to monitor urban material and energy flows.
• To advance the circular economy, cities should move beyond waste management and adopt the 10-R framework, prioritizing 'refusing consumption' for the highest environmental benefit.
• The transport sector is a major source of emissions in Bogotá, accounting for 48% of the total, suggesting it should be a priority for circular economy strategies.
• Key policy recommendations for the region include implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes and mandating eco-design principles for durable and repairable products.
• Integrating waste picker organizations into formal governance is a major challenge in Colombia, characterized by administrative, financial, and technological barriers.

APA

Rezaie, S., Jokiaho, J., André, K., & Vanhuyse, F. (2025). Advancing the circular economy in Latin American and Caribbean cities. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/advancing-circular-economy-latin-american-caribbean-cities-sei2025-012.pdf

Chicago

Rezaie, Shogofa, Julia Jokiaho, Karin André, and Fedra Vanhuyse. Advancing the circular economy in Latin American and Caribbean cities. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2025. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/advancing-circular-economy-latin-american-caribbean-cities-sei2025-012.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rezaie |first1=Shogofa |last2=Jokiaho |first2=Julia |last3=André |first3=Karin |last4=Vanhuyse |first4=Fedra |title=Advancing the circular economy in Latin American and Caribbean cities |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=March 2025 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/advancing-circular-economy-latin-american-caribbean-cities-sei2025-012.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rezaie2025advancing, author = {Rezaie, Shogofa and Jokiaho, Julia and André, Karin and Vanhuyse, Fedra}, title = {{Advancing the circular economy in Latin American and Caribbean cities}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/advancing-circular-economy-latin-american-caribbean-cities-sei2025-012.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }