World Circular Economy Forum 2026

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Key takeaways

The World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2026 was held for the first time in South Asia, taking place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
The event was jointly organized by key bodies including the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
India has registered more than 83,000 producers and 4,802 recyclers under various Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks.
Nearly 482.24 lakh metric tonnes of regulated waste have been successfully processed to promote resource recovery across the country.

The World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2026 took place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, centered around the theme “Circular Economy: Transition for People and Prosperity”.
This event marked a major milestone because it was the first time WCEF was hosted anywhere in South Asia, focusing on practical and scalable green solutions.

The event was jointly organized by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), the Government of Gujarat, the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), and the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.
WCEF serves as a global gathering where governments, businesses, researchers, innovators, and civil society members meet to discuss and promote circular economy solutions.
The program structure of WCEF 2026 focused on four specific tracks, which are people, business, governance, and growth, through plenary sessions, parallel discussions, accelerator sessions, and exhibitions.

A circular economy is a sustainable model of production and consumption designed to reduce waste and extend the life cycle of products.
It relies on practices such as reuse, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling.
The main goal is to keep materials and resources in circulation for as long as possible to create extra value and reduce dependence on the traditional linear take-make-consume-dispose model.

India promotes circular economy principles by combining traditional habits of repair, reuse, and resource conservation with modern sustainable lifestyle strategies.
The country has strengthened its circular economy efforts through regulatory reforms, better waste management rules, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks, and digital compliance systems.
Under various EPR frameworks, more than 83,000 producers and 4,802 recyclers have registered themselves.
Nearly 482.24 lakh metric tonnes of regulated waste have been processed, helping the country shift away from simple waste disposal toward resource recovery.
The Forum heavily emphasizes the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) initiative as a foundation for encouraging sustainable consumption and making circular habits a part of everyday life.
India also highlighted the importance of global cooperation through platforms like the Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC), which was launched during India's G20 Presidency.