Regional Policy Dialogue for Circular Economy Transition

Awareness of the circular economy among citizens is one of the significant challenges while reaching a consensus with all stakeholders in transitioning linear to a circular economy in Asia (ADBI, 2022). Citizens are an integral part of the waste management value chain, whereas there is a lack of coordinated strategy for citizen involvement (Izdebska, 2020). They are engaged in the waste management cycle regardless of the presence/ absence of a proper system. In a gap analysis done by Alliance to End Plastic Waste, to close the ‘Quantity Gap,’ there is a need to increase education and citizen participation engagement at source segregation & recycling (ADBI, 2022). 

The degree to which the circular economy approach has been embraced varies among different countries. Vietnam, for instance, stands out for making substantial progress in integrating Circular Economy principles into its economic models. This progress is evident through institutionalizing Circular Economy concepts within their policies and regulations. On the contrary, countries in South Asia are in the early stages of adopting the circular economy concept. A linear economy exists in Nepal, where the take-make-dispose system is dominant rather than a circular economy as it is considered cheaper and unsophisticated to carry on with day-to-day activities (Shrestha, 2018). In India, the launch of ‘Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban 2.0′ aims to make cities garbage-free by 2026 by emphasizing the source segregation of trash, using the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) principles. Citizen participation has been one of the prime focuses of India’s national mission and policy, which could be a good reference for other South Asian countries. Whereas Bangladesh is one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, adopting circular economy principles is critical for the country, having a population of 170 million and 8000 tons of solid waste production daily from six major cities (ADBI, 2022). The systematic approach to promote the principles of circular economy is missing, along with the lack of central databases. 

The lack of awareness and education serves as a barrier to behavioral change among the citizen. Compounding this are inadequacies in waste management infrastructure and the informal waste sector, contributing to the situation’s complexity. This is further amplified by gaps in policy and regulation, insufficient investment, and resistance to altering established behaviors. Furthermore, an integral aspect of achieving equitable outcomes within the circular economy also involves taking the gender and human rights dimension into account. 

Objectives

• Gather a regional perspective on Circular Economy Transition through the experiences shared by the experts from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Australia. 
• Discuss how we can adopt circular economy principles and initiatives at the community/local level while contributing to global targets such as the SDG. 
•  Gather the key recommendations in developing a practical policy guide and strategic campaign guide document 
•  Discuss the critical aspects of governance in implementing Circular Economy related programs along with a possible financial mechanism 

This event is by invitation only.