New article examines social, economic and policy drivers of Brazil’s circular economy transition
3 March 2026
Dr Alejandro Gallego Schmid has co-authored a new article in Sustainable Development exploring the social, technological, economic and policy factors shaping Brazil’s transition to a circular economy, highlighting the need for coordinated, context-specific strategies beyond technical solutions alone.
This article, co-authored by Dr Alejandro Gallego Schmid, analyse Brazil’s circular economy transition through a comprehensive qualitative study based on 20 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from academia, government, business, and civil society. The research moves beyond technical solutions to highlight the crucial roles of culture, education, governance, data, and economic incentives.
The findings show that while Brazil has strong circular traditions—such as reuse, repair, and high recycling rates in specific sectors—systemic barriers persist, including regulatory gaps, limited enforcement, insufficient data infrastructure, and high transition costs. At the same time, emerging policies, digital tools, innovation hubs, and growing environmental awareness offer significant opportunities.
The study emphasises that circular economy transitions in the Global South are deeply social and political processes, requiring coordinated action across institutions, markets, and communities. Circular economy transitions depend on people, policy, and economics, not technology alone, highlighting the need for inclusive, context-specific strategies in Brazil and beyond.
- Read the paper in Sustainable Development.