A gender lens on circularity

11 Aug 2026

A gender lens on circularity

18 Sep 2026 at 12:00–13:30 (UTC+5:30)

To be confirmed with other GIZ sessions, Gandhinagar, India

Session type: In person only in Gandhinagar

Focus: Business, Finance, Governance, People, System change, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America

Related Sustainable Development Goals

Organiser(s): Ministry of Finance of Brazil, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH,
Instituto Elas na Economia Circular

What does it take for women to lead the circular transition? In this South-South panel, women leaders from Brazil and India share their experiences and exchange lessons across two of the world’s largest emerging economies. Be ready for an open, practical conversation on gender, leadership and more.

A Circular Blue Economy: Bangladesh as a South Asian Pioneer

11 Aug 2026

A Circular Blue Economy: Bangladesh as a South Asian Pioneer

17 Sep 2026 at 14:00–15:30 (UTC+5:30)

Gift City Club, Moneta Conference Hall, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India, Gandhinagar, India

Session type: In person in Gandhinagar and online

Focus: Bioeconomy, Governance, Industry, Materials, System change, Asia, Europe

Related Sustainable Development Goals

Organiser(s): United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Bangladesh

Dive into how Bangladesh is leading South Asia’s shift to a systemic circular blue economy. Expect direct access to strategic frameworks and localized business models. This session is essential for policymakers, developers, and practitioners to strengthen their portfolios.

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

03 Aug 2026

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

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, Central Pollution Control Board of India (CPCB)

Governance framework for the circular economy

03 Aug 2026

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

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, Central Pollution Control Board of India (CPCB)

India’s circular economy vision

03 Aug 2026

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

This session highlights India’s leadership in developing scalable circular economy solutions for a resource-constrained world, while positioning the Global South as a key driver, rather than a follower of the global circular transition.

Drawing on India’s long-standing traditions of resource efficiency alongside modern industrial innovation, the session explores the country’s steady shift from a ‘take-make-dispose’ linear economy model to a resource-efficient, circular design, and extended producer responsibility.

The session will provide a science-based global perspective on the state of the circular economy while examining how national and state-level circular economy initiatives are transforming India’s growth model and reducing its global material footprint.

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

Circular economy value chains in the textile sector

03 Aug 2026

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

This session explores how circular economy approaches can transform textile value chains through innovative policies, business models, financing mechanisms and partnerships, covering topics from sustainable eco-design and regenerative sourcing to automated sorting and closed-loop recycling technologies.

Drawing on global and Indian experiences, the discussion will examine how to address challenges related to resource consumption, waste generation and environmental impacts while creating economic opportunities, green jobs and resilient circular textile systems, and supporting global sustainability goals.

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)

Ecodesign for sustainable products and a circular economy

03 Aug 2026

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

This session explores how policy frameworks and regulatory approaches can advance circular and sustainable products while remaining practical and inclusive across global value chains.

Bringing together perspectives from India, the European Union and other regions, the discussion will examine how ecodesign policies can shape markets, drive innovation and improve product sustainability while responding to emerging requirements on durability, repairability, resource efficiency and recyclability and addressing the challenges related to compliance costs, testing and certification infrastructure, access to technology, finance and technical skills.

The session highlights how proportionate requirements, transition finance, capacity-building, shared infrastructure and international cooperation can help organisations participate competitively in circular markets.

Organiser(s): Chatham House, Sitra the Finnish Innovation Fund, UNEP PAGE India – Partnership for Action on Green Economy

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

03 Aug 2026

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

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.

Join us to gain practical insights from international experience and Indian initiatives to guide strategies for advancing industrial symbiosis.

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

Financing circular growth: Mobilising private capital

03 Aug 2026

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

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), World Bank Group

Empowering citizens for circular lifestyles (Mission LiFE)

03 Aug 2026

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

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): Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India (MoEFCC), International Council for Circular Economy (ICCE)

Global call for Studio applications is open—Apply by 28 August!