The EU Green Deal and its Circular Economy Action Plan have inspired transformative initiatives worldwide, including in the Asia-Pacific region. Against this backdrop, the Asia-Pacific Green Deal for Business Roundtable convened alongside the ASEAN Consultation Meeting on the Pre-Zero Draft of the New Declaration on 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and Circular Economy.
These consultations, organised by UNDESA/UNCRD and UNESCAP on 25-26 November 2024 in Bangkok, served as key preparatory events for the High-Level 12th Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia-Pacific to be hosted by the Government of India. This Forum, an established Asia-Pacific platform for knowledge sharing, facilitates the dissemination of best practices in 3R and circular economy, while addressing emerging issues related to sustainable consumption and production (SCP).
During the ASEAN consultations, member countries reviewed the draft declaration and proposed high-priority topics relevant to their national and regional contexts. These inputs complemented perspectives from other sub-regions, such as the Pacific and Land-Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs). In addition to contributions from ASEAN member states, regional organisations and programmes - including EU SWITCH-Asia - helped refine the Declaration’s framework, contributed to better framing the context and consolidating the needed partnership for a more relevant new Declaration. The final Declaration, a voluntary and non-binding agreement, will promote “3R and circular economy goals for achieving resource-efficient, clean, resilient, sound material-cycle, and low-carbon societies.” It is slated for adoption in March 2025 during the High-Level 12th Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia-Pacific.
The Declaration’s structure includes clusters of goals closely aligned with the objectives of the EU SWITCH-Asia programme. With significant regional overlap in the mandates and coverage of EU SWITCH-Asia and UNCRD-UNDESA, the consultations provided an ideal opportunity for synergies and collective action to benefit recipient countries.
Key contributions from participating organizations enriched the discussions:
- UNESCAP announced the establishment of an Asia-Pacific Green Deal Business Digital Platform, designed to support SMEs.
- IUCN emphasized the need to integrate Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for green transformations.
- UNEP advocated circular solution frameworks to combat plastic pollution.
- UNIDO highlighted green chemistry and industrial-urban symbiosis as crucial enablers.
- FAO underlined the importance of the bio-circular economy in advancing better production, nutrition, and environmental outcomes.
- ERIA stressed the need to address technical barriers and close awareness gaps among stakeholders.
The EU SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component showcased the ASEAN SCP Framework as a fitting recipient for circular economy actions. Its focus on SCP, food systems, and green public procurement aligns with the programme’ s ongoing grants targeting agrifood, plastics, and waste management - key areas directly relevant to the goals of the 3R and Circular Economy New Declaration for Asia-Pacific. The ASEAN CE Framework and associated action plan also provides multiple opportunities for synergistic alignments.
These consultations underscore the wealth of opportunities for collaboration and joint actions to advance circular economy transitions across the region.
