PS7 Closing the loop: advancing circularity in plastic waste management​

PS7 Closing the loop: advancing circularity in plastic waste management​

15 Sep 2026 at 15:00–16:00 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Parallel
Track: Governance
Focus: Design, Industry, Materials, Waste, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Climate action Industry, innovation and infrastructure Partnerships for the goals Responsible consumption and production Sustainable cities and communities

This session focuses on practical solutions for advancing circularity in plastic packaging across the value chain, from product design to traceability, advanced sorting and high-quality recycling. It presents technologies, policies and collaborative approaches that enable greater resource efficiency and increased use of recycled plastics. 

Organiser(s): Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC), Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)

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PS8 Financing circular growth: Mobilising private capital​

PS8 Financing circular growth: Mobilising private capital​

15 Sep 2026 at 15:00–16:00 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Parallel
Track: Growth
Focus: Business, Finance, System change, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Climate action Decent work and economic growth Industry, innovation and infrastructure Partnerships for the goals Responsible consumption and production

Circularity is increasingly recognised not only as an environmental priority but as an economic necessity. While policy frameworks and taxonomies have laid the groundwork, the next challenge is to turn these foundations into scalable financial flows and practical implementation. This session demonstrates how unlocking circular economy finance will require complementary funding instruments and coordinated action by public and private actors across the value chain, leaving the participants with a clearer understanding of the drivers and tools for this.

Organiser(s): UNEP Finance Initiative, Observer Research Foundation (ORF)

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PS1 Empowering citizens for circular lifestyles (Mission LiFE)​

PS1 Empowering citizens for circular lifestyles (Mission LiFE)​

15 Sep 2026 at 12:00–13:00 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Parallel
Track: People
Focus: Education, People, System change, Waste, Asia
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Climate action Responsible consumption and production Sustainable cities and communities

This session explores how empowering citizens to adopt circular lifestyles can accelerate the transition towards more sustainable consumption and a circular economy. As everyday choices around reuse, repair, sharing, waste segregation and recycling play a critical role in reducing resource use and waste generation, behavioural change is essential for achieving circularity at scale. The session will showcase how Mission LiFE and other initiatives are leveraging awareness campaigns, policies, digital tools and community engagement to empower citizens and foster more circular and sustainable lifestyles.

Organiser(s): International Council for Circular Economy (ICCE)

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PS2 Circular value chains for metals and industrial materials​

PS2 Circular value chains for metals and industrial materials​

15 Sep 2026 at 12:00–13:00 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Parallel
Track: Business
Focus: Critical minerals, Industry, Materials, Resilience, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Industry, innovation and infrastructure Partnerships for the goals Responsible consumption and production

As demand for metals grows, circular value chains are becoming essential to strengthen resource security, supply chain resilience and industrial competitiveness. This session will explore the systemic barriers hindering circularity from scaling across metal value chains and how existing collaborative initiatives can help mobilise stakeholders, align priorities and accelerate implementation. Drawing on perspectives from industry, policy and finance, participants will gain practical insights into how pre-competitive collaboration can accelerate circular value chains at scale and support a more resilient and resource-efficient economy.

Organiser(s): World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI)

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PS3 Circularity in urban governance: Transforming resource systems​

PS3 Circularity in urban governance: Transforming resource systems​

15 Sep 2026 at 12:00–13:00 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Parallel
Track: Governance
Focus: Built environment, Finance, Governance, System change, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Climate action Industry, innovation and infrastructure Responsible consumption and production Sustainable cities and communities

This session explores how cities worldwide are institutionalising circularity through municipal governance capacity, integrated planning and cross-sector collaboration, drawing on India’s experience alongside global practices to offer transferable models for resource-efficient, climate-resilient urban systems.

Organiser(s): National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

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PS4 Application of AI: Next-gen tech for a circular economy​

PS4 Application of AI: Next-gen tech for a circular economy​

15 Sep 2026 at 12:00–13:00 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Parallel
Track: Growth
Focus: Business, Data and AI, System change, Asia, Europe, North America
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Climate action Decent work and economic growth Industry, innovation and infrastructure Partnerships for the goals Responsible consumption and production

Artificial intelligence is emerging as the connective tissue of the circular economy, adding the visibility, prediction and optimisation needed to fragmented lifecycle data to make circular business models competitive. This session examines how AI can shift the economics in favor of circularity, using the automotive sector as the proving ground and India as the geography. 

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