Resource depletion, unsustainable raw material consumption, inefficiencies in product value chains, and climate change increasingly threaten ASEAN’s economic resilience and development. The prevailing economic model of ‘take, make, dispose’ wastes valuable materials and resources. It is increasingly recognised that ASEAN needs a new economic model that moves beyond the existing linear growth paradigm.
The ASEAN Circular Economy Forum (ACEF) functions as an annual platform for the ASEAN policy community to engage with stakeholders and explore ways to foster a more effective transition to a circular economy through national policies and regional initiatives. It brings together government officials from ASEAN Member States (AMS), representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat overseeing the socio-cultural (ASCC) and economic (AEC) communities, the private sector, innovative start-ups, academia, NGOs, partners from the EU (Finland/Sitra/WCEF, Germany and Denmark under the Team Europe Initiative/TEI, etc.), and other international partners, reflecting the cross-cutting nature and multiple goals of a circular transition. As a regional dialogue platform, ACEF has a unique emphasis on ASEAN integration and cooperation, stakeholder dialogues, and the active participation of representatives from diverse sectors.
Overseen by the ASEAN Working Group on Chemicals and Waste (AWGCW) and the ASEAN Senior Officials for the Environment (ASOEN), the ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD), which hosts the ASEAN Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ACEP), organises ACEF in partnership with key stakeholders. ACEF is planned and coordinated with the ASEAN Secretariat’s Environment Division (ASEC ED) and relevant divisions of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). It invites sectors under the ASEAN Socio-Cultural and Economic Pillars to engage closely with partners and other stakeholders, shares key issues and priorities, and discusses the Circular Economy transition in ASEAN and AMS. The results of ACEF are communicated to AWGCW, other pertinent Working Groups, ASOEN, and the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME).
The first ACEF was held in Indonesia in November 2023, centred around the theme “Paving ASEAN’s Path to a Carbon-neutral Circular Economy”. It was co-organised with Business Finland and the EU through the Enhanced Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (E-READI). The second Forum took place in Thailand in October 2024 under the theme “Guiding the Transition – ASEAN and EU Approaches to Circular Innovation and Entrepreneurship”. It was co-organised with C asean, Business Finland, the Hanns Seidel Foundation, and the EU through E-READI and other partners under the Team Europe Initiative (TEI).
Based on the expression of interest, ACEF rotates among ASEAN Member States to highlight its role as a regional platform. This also creates opportunities to engage relevant stakeholder groups and expert communities across various countries.
ACEF 2025
This year, ACEF will be held in Malaysia, which has the 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship, with the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability”. It is inspired by Malaysia’s concept of MADANI, which aims to promote a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous society. These values are closely aligned with the goals of a circular economy transition and must be central to regional community-building efforts and enhancing intra-ASEAN trade and investment. Implementing circular solutions in key sectors will be crucial in achieving ASEAN’s recently adopted Community Vision 2045. Through its ministries of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), and Housing and Local Government (KPKT), Malaysia is actively encouraging the shift to circular practices domestically through policy initiatives on waste management, circular manufacturing, and strategic planning for a circular economy.