Circular Cities in the Mediterranean

Cities are recasting themselves as crucial actors in the national and regional order. They have started to fill the vacuum left by central States and they are becoming laboratories for realizing a new more sustainable development of their communities. Cities can deliver more effective and tailored solutions to their citizens in several sectors, from food to energy, moblity and digitalization. In this context, Mediterranean cities are already facing multiple challenges that risk to exacerbate internal instability in the next decades, especially as a consequence of climate change shocks. Therefore, adopting circular approach is essential not only to find alternative, more sustainable policies to cope with these challenges but also to fully unlock the potential for sustainable development of local communities and achieve the targets of the Agenda 2030. The Istituto Affari Internazionali is delighted to present a new series entitled “Circular Cities in the Mediterranean: Unlocking the Potential for Sustainable Development”. The series consists of four papers that address circular economy in the Mediterrenean cities through a nexus perspective that connects water and food security, mobility and waste management, energy transition and digitalization.