P4 Catalysts of change: Youth leadership and innovations in the circular economy​

P4 Catalysts of change: Youth leadership and innovations in the circular economy​

16 Sep 2026 at 16:00–17:00 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Plenary
Focus: Business, Education, People, System change, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Decent work and economic growth Industry, innovation and infrastructure Partnerships for the goals Quality education

This session explores how young leaders are driving behavioural and systemic change by developing innovative circular solutions, challenging conventional approaches and building the businesses of the future. As the circular economy creates new opportunities for entrepreneurship, skills development and employment, empowering the next generation will be essential for accelerating the global transition. The session will showcase inspiring youth-led innovations, success stories and international collaboration, demonstrating how young people are shaping a more circular, resilient and inclusive economy.

Organiser(s): Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund

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P2 Governance framework for the circular economy​

P2 Governance framework for the circular economy​

15 Sep 2026 at 16:30–17:30 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Plenary
Focus: Business, Design, Governance, System change, 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 Peace, justice and strong institutions Responsible consumption and production

This session explores the governance frameworks, policy instruments and regulatory approaches that enable the transition to a circular economy. Effective governance is essential for creating the conditions that drive circular business models, sustainable product design, secondary material markets and investment, while ensuring implementation across national, state and local levels. The session will showcase how policy frameworks such as circular economy road maps, extended producer responsibility, ecodesign regulations, fiscal incentives and digital compliance mechanisms can accelerate the transition from ambition to action.

Organiser(s): Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund

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P1 India’s circular economy vision​

P1 India’s circular economy vision​

15 Sep 2026 at 10:30–11:30 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Plenary
Focus: Governance, Industry, Resilience, System change, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Decent work and economic growth Industry, innovation and infrastructure Partnerships for the goals Responsible consumption and production

This session explores India’s vision for advancing the circular economy in a resource-constrained world and the country’s growing role in shaping global circular pathways. As global resource consumption continues to rise, scalable circular solutions are becoming essential for sustainable development, with the Global South playing an increasingly important role in driving innovation and implementation. The session will provide a global perspective on the state of the circular economy while showcasing India’s leadership through national and state-level initiatives, business innovation and industrial strategies that demonstrate how circularity can support economic growth, resilience and resource security.

Organiser(s): Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund

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PS10 Circular economy value chains in the textile sector​

PS10 Circular economy value chains in the textile sector​

16 Sep 2026 at 11:30–12:30 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Parallel
Track: Business
Focus: Design, Finance, Industry, 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

This session will explore how circular economy approaches can transform textile value chains through innovative policies, business models, financing mechanisms and multi-stakeholder partnerships. Drawing on global and Indian experiences, the discussion will highlight practical strategies for reducing environmental impacts while creating economic opportunities, green jobs and resilient circular textile systems. Participants will gain insights into scaling circularity through collaboration among governments, industry, financial institutions and international organisations.

Organiser(s): United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

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PS11 Ecodesign for sustainable products and a circular economy​

PS11 Ecodesign for sustainable products and a circular economy​

16 Sep 2026 at 11:30–12:30 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Parallel
Track: Governance
Focus: Business, Design, Governance, System change, Asia, Europe, North America
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Affordable and clean energy Industry, innovation and infrastructure Partnerships for the goals Responsible consumption and production

This session explores how policy frameworks and regulatory approaches can support the development of circular and sustainable products while creating a more level playing field for businesses across global value chains. As countries and regions seek to accelerate the transition to a circular economy, ecodesign policies are emerging as powerful tools for shaping markets, driving innovation, and improving product sustainability. Bringing together perspectives from India, the European Union and other leading regions, the discussion will examine how ecodesign requirements are influencing product design, resource efficiency, durability, repairability and recyclability.

Organiser(s): Chatham House, Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

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PS12 Waste as resource: Industrial symbiosis as an engine of circular growth​

PS12 Waste as resource: Industrial symbiosis as an engine of circular growth​

16 Sep 2026 at 11:30–12:30 (UTC+5:30)
Session type: Parallel
Track: Growth
Focus: Governance, Industry, Materials, System change, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Industry, innovation and infrastructure Responsible consumption and production

The session will explore practical pathways for advancing industrial symbiosis at scale by addressing the market, system and governance barriers that constrain resource exchange and collaboration among industries. It will examine how waste-to-resource exchange platforms, digital platforms for circular resource management, managed industrial cooperation networks, cluster-based circular economy models and Eco-Industrial Parks can unlock circular resource flows.

Organiser(s): Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC), Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund

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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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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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