Circular Economy Principles in Urban Agri-Food Systems: Potentials and Implications for Environmental Sustainability

Due to urban population growth during recent decades, the food supply chain has become one of the key material flows in the metabolism of cities. Urban agriculture (UA) can be an alternative for mitigating food supply impacts. UA can provide environmental benefits, but current concepts and strategies do not reflect its full potential. The circular economy (CE) can contribute to this goal. The promotion of CE principles in UA can help mitigate the environmental impact generated by these systems and move toward circular agriculture, which extends the life of critical resources consumed in urban areas. However, it is important to identify whether the application of CE strategies in UA systems entails burden-shifting processes. The aim of this chapter is to outline and analyze the environmental implications of applying CE strategies in UA, such as the use of struvite, compost, rainwater harvesting, or water and nutrient recirculation. We conclude that the application of CE strategies in UA systems should always include a parallel environmental assessment from a life cycle perspective to assess potential drawbacks and burden-shifting processes and to ensure that circular economy principles and sustainability goals are aligned.