Urban Expansion and Environmental Retreat: A Systematic Review of the Anthropogenic Effects of Urbanization in Latin America

Abstract

This review article systematically analyzes the anthropogenic effects of urbanization in Latin America, with special emphasis on intermediate cities. The central objective is to understand the territorial, environmental, and social implications of accelerated urban expansion and to contribute to the academic debate on sustainability and urban resilience in the region. The methodology was based on a narrative systematic review, following the PRISMA method, carried out between June and August 2025. Academic databases and institutional repositories were consulted, prioritizing studies published between 2000 and 2025, with open access and thematic relevance. The inclusion criteria considered research with a Latin American regional focus and direct relevance to urbanization and its environmental impacts. The results identified four key dimensions: pressure on ecosystems, climate vulnerability and urban resilience, territorial governance from critical approaches, and the strategic role of intermediate cities. It was evidenced that unplanned urbanization compromises the provision of ecosystem services, increases exposure to climate risks, and reproduces logics of territorial fragmentation. Likewise, the need to adapt environmental indicators to the Latin American context and to strengthen resilience through participatory processes and inter-institutional cooperation was highlighted. In conclusion, urbanization in Latin America constitutes a multidimensional phenomenon that demands integrated approaches of analysis and action. Overcoming its impacts requires adaptive regulatory frameworks, institutional strengthening, and citizen participation. Intermediate cities, managed with sustainability and resilience criteria, can become strategic spaces to advance the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals