Sustainability Through Circular Economy: A Systematic Review of Practices in Urban Green Spaces

ABSTRACT

Urban green spaces (UGSs) generate substantial amounts of green waste (GW). Implementing a circular economy (CE) enhances resource efficiency, which is crucial for achieving urban sustainability objectives. This study aimed to systematically analyze CE research within the UGS context; identify research trends, hotspots, themes, and CE practices implemented in UGS; and reveal research gaps to guide future research and practice. Using a systematic literature review combined with a bibliometric analysis, five research themes were identified: GW management, water recycling, solid waste (SW) recycling, urban agriculture (UA), and policy and system design. CE initiatives are categorized by scale into large and small cycles encompassing multiple loops. These findings indicate that small onsite cycles align better with UGS characteristics. However, existing research has focused more on large cycles and technical solutions, neglecting practical investigations of small‐scale localized cycles and discussions of stakeholder factors and targeted regulations. Future efforts should strengthen empirical research on small cycles, emphasize stakeholder considerations, and explore CE policies and regulations tailored to UGS management. This study advances CE theory and offers practical guidance for policymakers, urban planners, designers, and UGS management departments to foster sustainable development of UGS systems.