The ACEF aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, advocate for policy development, and promote collaborative initiatives to advance the circular economy agenda in the ASEAN region. Embracing a circular economy is essential for ASEAN, as it offers a more sustainable approach to economic development, generates new economic opportunities, enhances resilience and security, and supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. By reducing the need for resource extraction, limiting the dependence on imported resources, and enhancing self-sufficiency, a circular economy can bolster the resilience and security of ASEAN countries. This can alleviate the impact of global supply chain disruptions and ensure a more stable and secure future for the region.
ACEF 2025 has the following specific objectives:
- To raise awareness of how a circular transition can help ASEAN achieve its shared objectives.
- To showcase existing good practices in building skills and know-how, scaling innovative solutions, and mobilising finance for a circular transition.
- To identify opportunities for strengthening ASEAN regional initiatives relevant to addressing critical bottlenecks for a circular transition.
- To ensure ownership of partner-supported circular economy initiatives within each AMS and the ASEAN collectively, and plan for long-term continuity.
- To explore the need for a regional circular economy vision, relevant to the three pillars of ASEAN, and discuss what a process to develop such a vision might look like.