Transdisciplinary resource monitoring is essential to prioritize circular economy strategies in cities
Abstract Seeking to meet sustainability targets, cities are promoting a number of circular economy initiatives. Whether or not these actions help cities to approach sustainable resource management is often unclear. To identify, prioritize and monitor resource-efficient strategies, cities can look for targets and indicators among the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While the SDGs provide useful goals, they lack applicable and accurate indicators for cities. To address this shortcoming, we link the SDGs to the urban circular economy by looking at the urban metabolism and identify monitoring needs and gaps. Although consumption-based footprint indicators are the most suitable approach, these are barely covered in the SDGs. We propose a framework facilitating transdisciplinary projects and experimentation to assess resource footprints and prioritize circular strategies in cities. Our discussion will guide practitioners and academics towards a sustainable circular transformation in cities.