India to host 12th Regional Circular Economy conference in Jaipur

India will host the 12^th regional 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) and Circular Economy Conference in Asia and the Pacific in Jaipur from March 3-5, Union Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced in New Delhi on Monday (February 24, 2025).

The event will centre on the theme of “Realizing Circular Societies Towards Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Carbon Neutrality in Asia-Pacific”, he said at a press conference here.

Over 500 international and domestic participants are expected to attend the three-day conference next month, packed with plenary sessions, country-specific discussions and theme-based round-tables. The delegates will also be able to undertake technical field visits to the solid and liquid waste management facilities and key heritage sites in Jaipur.

A dedicated ‘India Pavilion’ will showcase India’s initiatives and achievements in the 3R and circular economy domain featuring exhibitions from key line ministries and national missions, reflecting India’s whole-of-government approach to sustainable development.

“India will showcase the best practice for waste management adopted during the Maha Kumbh at forum”, Mr. Khattar said.

The Forum will host an international ‘3R trade and technology exhibition’, providing a platform for over 40 Indian and Japanese businesses and start-ups to showcase best practices, ideas and solutions that support circularity and 3R principles while encouraging cross-learning.

The conference will conclude with the adoption of the ‘Jaipur Declaration’ to enable the transition to a resource-efficient, circular economy in Asia-Pacific countries and will be handed over to the next host country.

Launched by the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) in 2009, the Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum aims to provide strategic policy inputs to government authorities in the Asia-Pacific region for main-streaming 3R and circularity and serve as a platform for disseminating and sharing best practices in the stream.

The last Forum was hosted in 2023 by Cambodia. India has previously hosted the Forum in 2018, when the 8th edition was held in Indore.