The World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF2025) is set to take place in São Paulo, Brazil, offering a crucial platform for global leaders to address the urgent need for a circular economy transition. In a world facing increasing geopolitical complexity and economic uncertainty, the forum emphasizes the power of multilateral cooperation and cross-continental partnerships to tackle shared global challenges.
WCEF2025 will bring together thousands of experts to explore circular solutions that can address the bottlenecks to sustainable growth and the root causes of the planetary crisis. The forum will showcase how these solutions can strengthen economic competitiveness, enhance energy security, and drive sustainable industrial transformation, particularly in emerging markets.
What to Expect at WCEF2025:
- A Rich Programme: The main programme explores the interconnectedness of nature, materials, people, and business, demonstrating how the circular economy can unlock opportunities for economies, societies, and the green energy transition. The programme will be livestreamed online in English and Portuguese. Check it out here.
- Expo Area: Companies and organizations have the opportunity to showcase their circular economy solutions to a global audience by hosting a stand at the WCEF2025 Expo Area in Ibirapuera park. Applications for expo stands are open until 15 February.
- Online Participation: Registration for online participation is now open and free of charge, offering global access to the forum’s discussions and insights. In-person participation is by personal invitation only.
- Partnerships for Change: WCEF2025 will feature a diverse mix of partners from Latin America and around the world, highlighting the collaborative effort driving the circular economy transition.
- Side Events: WCEF side events are being organized throughout the year, providing further opportunities for engagement and knowledge sharing. Details on these events can be found on Sitra’s website.
Further Exploration:
The WCEF newsletter highlights several key resources for those interested in deepening their understanding of the circular economy:
- Circularity Gap Report Textiles: A new report from Circle Economy examines the textile industry’s circularity and proposes strategies to reduce its environmental impact. A related online platform for mapping textile waste has also been launched.
- Why Europe Needs a Circular Single Market: A Sitra-funded study by Bruegel explores the strategic importance of the circular economy for the EU’s economic, security, and environmental goals.
- Circular Impact Procurement Initiative (CIPI): This initiative fosters collaborations between social businesses and private and public sector organizations to promote circular value chains and sustainable innovations.
- Guidance for Increasing NDC Ambitions Through Circular Action: GIZ’s new guidance explores how circular strategies can be integrated into national climate plans, providing practical activity sheets for implementation.