Identifying Circularity in Nature-Based Solutions: A Systematic Review

Héctor Guadalupe Ramírez-Escamilla, María Concepción Martínez-Rodríguez (), Diego Domínguez-Solís (), Ana Laura Cervantes-Nájera and Lorena Elizabeth Campos-Villegas
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Héctor Guadalupe Ramírez-Escamilla: Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios Sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Mexico City 07340, Mexico
María Concepción Martínez-Rodríguez: Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios Sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Mexico City 07340, Mexico
Diego Domínguez-Solís: Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios Sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Mexico City 07340, Mexico
Ana Laura Cervantes-Nájera: Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios Sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Mexico City 07340, Mexico
Lorena Elizabeth Campos-Villegas: Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios Sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Mexico City 07340, Mexico

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-20

Abstract: Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) represent an alternative for achieving environmental and resilience goals in diverse global contexts with varying needs. As such, NBS can be understood as processes involving actions that promote circular economy (CE) strategies within their function. Therefore, this research aims to conduct a systematic literature review to identify and analyze the main NBS applied and explore how they are associated with CE strategies. This study performs a systematic literature review of NBS and their relationship with the CE using the PRISMA methodology, analyzing a total of 32 articles retrieved from the SCOPUS database. The main NBS include constructed wetlands, green infrastructure, and soil restoration and enrichment solutions. Constructed wetlands are linked to strategies such as recycling and reuse due to their role in treating urban and domestic wastewater for reuse, thereby increasing water availability. Green infrastructure is associated with strategies like redesign and reduction, as it involves the use of lower-impact materials and designs for rainwater harvesting and thermal comfort improvement. Soil enrichment and remediation solutions are connected to reuse and recycling strategies, as most derive from organic waste composting or microorganisms. NBS and CE strategies highlight how these solutions not only provide direct environmental benefits but also, when analyzed from a sustainability perspective, can offer social and economic benefits. Furthermore, understanding their relationship will facilitate their integration into regulations for transitioning toward circularity in industries and cities. The contribution of this article lies in synthesizing and systematizing the evidence on how NBS operationalizes CE strategies, identifying the main mechanisms and gaps, and proposing a conceptual model that can guide future research and policy design.

Keywords: circular economy; sustainability; urban resilience; recycling; environmental governance; green infrastructure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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