Closing ceremony

Closing ceremony

16 Sep 2026 at 17:00–17:30 (UTC+5:30)
India
Session type: Plenary
Focus: Business, Critical raw materials, Education, Finance, People, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Climate action Partnerships for the goals Quality education Responsible consumption and production Sustainable cities and communities

The closing session will reflect on the key outcomes and collective efforts pursued during the forum. India will hand over the forum keys to the next host country, while setting the stage for continued knowledge exchange, partnerships and collaborative action towards a circular and sustainable future.

Organiser(s): Central Pollution Control Board of India (CPCB), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India (MoEFCC), Sitra the Finnish Innovation Fund

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See related side events during the whole year

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From urban waste to critical mineral reserves

From urban waste to critical mineral reserves

17 Sep 2026 at 11:00–12:30 (UTC+5:30)
Grand Mercure Ahmedabad GIFT City, Gandhinagar, India
Session type: In person in Gandhinagar and online
Focus: Critical raw materials, Data and AI, Industry, Materials, System change, Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean
Register See programme
Related Sustainable Development Goals
Decent work and economic growth Industry, innovation and infrastructure Sustainable cities and communities

Organiser(s): Landbell GreenForest Solutions India, German RETech Partnership and Material Recycling Association of India

Urban areas are becoming an increasingly important source of secondary materials, yet much of this potential remains underutilised. This session brings together Indian and global experiences to explore how urban mining can move beyond waste management towards the recovery of critical resources.

Maximising circularity in electronics sectors and critical mineral recovery

Maximising circularity in electronics sectors and critical mineral recovery

18 Sep 2026 at 14:00–17:00 (UTC+5:30)
CEO Boardroom, Mahatma Gandhi Convention Centre, Gandhinagar, India
Session type: In person in Gandhinagar and online
Focus: Critical raw materials, Energy, Industry, Materials, Waste, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Register See programme
Related Sustainable Development Goals
Affordable and clean energy Climate action Industry, innovation and infrastructure Partnerships for the goals Responsible consumption and production

Organiser(s): ENVESYA

Discover circular models reshaping the electronics industry value chain. Explore how design and manufacturing work for second-life applications, refurbishment, remanufacturing, recycling and critical material recovery. Learn practical strategies while building partnerships to accelerate commercial implementation.

From silicon to system: Experience upskilling through circular chipsets

From silicon to system: Experience upskilling through circular chipsets

17 Sep 2026 at 14:00–17:00 (UTC+5:30)
Online, Gandhinagar, India
Session type: Online only
Focus: Critical raw materials, Design, Education, Materials, System change, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Register See programme
Related Sustainable Development Goals
Industry, innovation and infrastructure Quality education Responsible consumption and production

Organiser(s): Green Phoenix Circular Solutions

This accelerator session helps build essential circular skills, using the chipset’s life cycle as a case study to explore shifting industries from linear to circular. No tech background needed: the chipset is just the lens and the capabilities you gain apply to any industry ready to close the loop.

Second charge: Unlocking EV battery value as energy storage

Second charge: Unlocking EV battery value as energy storage

18 Sep 2026 at 10:00–13:00 (UTC+5:30)
Hyatt Regency, Ahmedabad, India
Session type: In person only (elsewhere)
Focus: Business, Critical raw materials, Design, Energy, Resilience, Africa, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Register See programme
Related Sustainable Development Goals
Affordable and clean energy Climate action Decent work and economic growth Industry, innovation and infrastructure Responsible consumption and production

Organiser(s): Ellen MacArthur Foundation 

Second-life EV batteries represent an overlooked circular economy opportunity — and a significant source of untapped value. Join practitioners to learn what’s working, what’s not, and what battery designers and regulators need to change to unlock circularity in the Global South.

Scaling circular value chains for critical materials

Scaling circular value chains for critical materials

18 Sep 2026 at 10:00–11:30 (UTC+5:30)
6th Floor, Birla Centurion, Worli, Mumbai , Mumbai, India
Session type: In person only (elsewhere)
Focus: Critical raw materials, Industry, Materials, Resilience, System change, Asia, Europe, North America
Register See programme
Related Sustainable Development Goals
Industry, innovation and infrastructure Partnerships for the goals Responsible consumption and production

Organiser(s): The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC)

How can proven collaboration models accelerate circularity for critical materials? Explore practical examples from existing initiatives and discuss how they can be adapted across regions and materials to build resilient, circular value chains.

Road to Finlandia Circular Latin America

Road to Finlandia Circular Latin America

17 Sep 2026 at 18:30–20:00 (UTC+5:30)
Online, Lima, Peru
Session type: Online only
Focus: Bioeconomy, Business, Critical raw materials, Energy, Materials, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean
Register See programme
Related Sustainable Development Goals
Affordable and clean energy Climate action Industry, innovation and infrastructure Partnerships for the goals Sustainable cities and communities

Organiser(s): Team Finland Latin America, Ministry for Foreign Affairs Finland

This session highlights how Finland is advancing circular economy partnerships across the LAC region. Through practical examples and collaboration opportunities, participants will explore how circular solutions can drive sustainable growth, innovation and resource efficiency in Latin America.

Financing circularity: Growing opportunities for financiers

Financing circularity: Growing opportunities for financiers

17 Sep 2026 at 14:00–16:00 (UTC+5:30)
Radisson hotel Gift City Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
Session type: In person only in Gandhinagar
Focus: Business, Critical raw materials, Energy, Finance, Food, Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean
Register See programme
Related Sustainable Development Goals
Climate action Decent work and economic growth Industry, innovation and infrastructure Responsible consumption and production

Organiser(s): Enabel, Sitra

This session will present the challenges and—even more—the opportunities of financing the circular economy. It will guide entrepreneurs to better understand their financiers. It will help financiers look at their clients with a longer-term view, becoming more resilient in a fast-changing world.

Circularity as a tool for transforming mining

Circularity as a tool for transforming mining

18 Sep 2026 at 17:30–19:00 (UTC+5:30)
Mining Hub / Online, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Session type: In person elsewhere and online
Focus: Business, Critical raw materials, Industry, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Register See programme
Related Sustainable Development Goals
Climate action Industry, innovation and infrastructure Responsible consumption and production Sustainable cities and communities

Organiser(s): Vale S.A. and the Mining Hub

How can the circular economy transform mining? Vale S.A. and the Mining Hub invite you to discover practical experiences, challenges and approaches to unlock value from mining residues in a collaborative discussion on how to make the mining sector more sustainable and efficient.

From material dependency to material security: Circular strategies for critical raw materials​

From material dependency to material security: Circular strategies for critical raw materials​

16 Sep 2026 at 10:00–11:00 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Plenary
Focus: Critical raw materials, Governance, Industry, Resilience, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Affordable and clean energy Industry, innovation and infrastructure Life on land Responsible consumption and production

This session explores how circular economy approaches can strengthen material security by reducing dependency on virgin resources and unlocking new sources of critical raw materials.

Critical raw materials are essential for clean energy technologies, digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and many other sectors that underpin the global transition to a sustainable economy. As demand continues to grow for these materials, ensuring secure, resilient and sustainable access has become a strategic priority for governments, businesses and investors worldwide.

Organiser(s): Sitra the Finnish Innovation Fund, Central Pollution Control Board of India (CPCB)

Meet the experts

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See related side events during the whole year

See related side events during the whole year

Can’t get enough? See our list of WCEF side events organised throughout the year and join them to learn more!

Side events on wcef global