Five years of the Latin America and the Caribbean Circular Economy Coalition: from policy foundations to implementation

Five years after its launch, the Circular EconomyCircular EconomyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. Coalition for Latin America and the Caribbean is entering a new phase. What began as a vision and a platform to build regional understanding and collaboration around circular economy policies is now increasingly focused on supporting their implementation across the region.

Created in 2021 during the XXII Meeting of the Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Coalition was established to accelerate the transition to a circular economy by strengthening regional cooperation, capacity building and supporting the development of public policy. Since then, it has grown into a broad regional network bringing together 18 countries and 66 members, including governments, academic institutions, civil society groups. The Coalition is coordinated by a Steering Committee of six members: the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which leads as secretariat; the Ellen MacArthur Foundation; the Inter-American Development Bank; the Climate Technology Centre and Network; the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC); and the World Economic Forum.

Through its work across Latin America and the Caribbean, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has been an important actor in shaping how policymakers understand and engage with circular economy principles. That regional commitment naturally extended to the Coalition, which the Foundation has supported as a strategic partner since its inception. Over the past five years, and inspired by a vision for a circular economy in the region, much of the Coalition's work has focused on helping governments develop a shared understanding of circular economy principles and policy — efforts that have contributed to the creation of several national policy plans across the region, and helped bring circular economy topics to prominent international forums, including Biodiversity COP 17 in Colombia and Climate COP 30 in Brazil.

Now, as governments across the region look beyond policy design toward practical solutions for implementation, the Coalition's work is evolving to meet that demand — encompassing financing mechanisms, indicators and sector-specific strategies.

This shift was visible across several initiatives throughout 2025, a year in which the Coalition organised or supported 17 events, six steering committee meetings and 28 working group sessions. Most of these activities focused on strengthening the enabling conditions for implementation. The Coalition's work in the World Circular Economy Forum in São Paulo, for instance, focused on circular economy strategies for Global South development, such as water systems security and informal workers inclusion.

Pedro Prata, Senior Policy and Institutions Manager for Latin America, underlines what this moment means for the region:

"Over the past few years, countries across Latin America and the Caribbean have laid important policy foundations for the circular economy. The next step is implementation — turning regulatory frameworks and strategies into real changes in product design, business models and everyday systems. The Coalition is helping create the conditions for that shift."