The 12th Regional 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and Circular Economy Forum in Asia and the Pacific concluded on March 5, 2025, in Jaipur, India, with the unanimous adoption of the ‘Jaipur Declaration’ by member countries. This significant event highlighted the collective commitment of the Asia-Pacific nations towards sustainable development and circular economy practices.
Key Outcomes of the Forum:
- Adoption of the Jaipur Declaration: The declaration outlines strategies for resource efficiency, sustainable material consumption, and addresses various waste streams. It emphasizes the importance of involving informal sectors, considering gender and labor issues, and focuses on means of implementation, partnerships, technology transfer, funding mechanisms, and research and development.
- Proposal of Cities Coalition for Circularity (C-3): India introduced the concept of C-3, a collaborative knowledge platform aimed at fostering global alliances for circularity in urban environments. This coalition seeks to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaborative efforts among cities worldwide to promote circular economy initiatives.
Participation and Engagement:
The forum witnessed robust participation with physical attendance from 24 Asia-Pacific member countries and nearly 200 international delegates. From India, approximately 800 delegates representing 33 states and union territories, 15 line ministries, the private sector, and technical institutions were present. The event also saw representation from 75 cities, including 9 international and 66 Indian cities. Discussions were enriched by 120 speakers across 29 plenary sessions, 10 thematic sessions, 6 country breakout sessions, and 7 side events.
Notable Addresses:
- Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal: In his closing remarks, he expressed satisfaction with the adoption of the Jaipur Declaration, stating that it reflects a shared commitment to circular transitions. He emphasized India’s readiness to lead the formation of the Cities Coalition for Circularity (C-3) and extended an invitation to all UN member countries to join this initiative.
- Minister of State, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Tokhan Sahu: He highlighted the forum as a historic moment, underscoring the necessity of 3R principles and circular economy concepts in the contemporary era.
Special Address:
Professor Amit Kapoor, Chair at the Institute for Competitiveness, University of Stanford, delivered a special address focusing on implementing circularity of solid and liquid waste management for large human congregations, specifically referencing the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, India. He shared preliminary findings of an in-depth study exploring sustainable waste management solutions for such events, emphasizing innovative approaches, scalability, and best practices to ensure environmental sustainability while managing millions of pilgrims.
Conclusion:
The 12th Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia and the Pacific marked a pivotal step towards embracing circular economy practices in the region. The adoption of the Jaipur Declaration and the proposal of the Cities Coalition for Circularity (C-3) underscore a unified commitment to sustainable development, resource efficiency, and collaborative efforts in addressing environmental challenges.
