The World Circular Economy Forum 2024 (WCEF2024), held from 15-18 April in Brussels, Belgium, is the world’s leading event for the Circular Economy (CE). This year, it brought together over 1,500 participants in four plenaries, along with approximately 10,000 online participants, focusing on transforming circular visions into action. As one of the official partners, GIZ co-organised four thematic panel discussions and accelerator sessions, and hosted a delegation from 23 countries to amplify their voices in the global dialogue, with the Thai delegates highlighting progress towards transitioning to a circular economy.

Contributing to the main sessions, various GIZ projects within the Green Industry and Circular Economy Cluster organised the ASEAN Workshop on Circular Economy towards Advancing Sustainability Cooperation in the Region to further strengthen ASEAN collaboration on the circular economy. Dr. Vong Sok, the Director of the Environment Division at the ASEAN Secretariat, outlined the scope of the workshop, while Chantal Marijnissen, the Head of the Unit for Environment and Sustainable Natural Resources in the Department for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) at the European Commission, provided insights into EU best practices in CE standard harmonisation. Representatives from ASEAN Member States, including Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand, shared their countries’ progress in developing CE product standards and related policies such as Eco-Design, Eco-Labeling, Sustainable Public Procurement, and Design for Recycling (D4R) Standards.

The discussions focused on key considerations to enhance the readiness for transitioning to a circular economy within ASEAN through strengthened cooperation. Concluding the discussion, Dr. Vong Sok emphasised the importance of identifying gaps in national responses to circularity, addressing trade, resource efficiency, and environmental dimensions comprehensively.

On behalf of GIZ Thailand, the Collaborative Actions for Single-Use Plastic Prevention in Southeast Asia (CAP SEA) — part of the GIZ global programme “Export Initiative Environmental Protection”—in collaboration with the Marine Litter Prevention through Reduction, Sustainable Design, and Recycling of Plastic Packaging (MA-RE-DESIGN), both funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), supported two Thai delegates to join the sessions.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Piti Eiamchamroonlarp (second from left) in the Impact of EU Circular Economy Policies on International Value Chains session

Asst. Prof. Dr. Piti Eiamchamroonlarp from Chulalongkorn University served as a panellist, discussing the impact of EU circular economy policies on the trade dynamics of developing nations and providing valuable insights into Thailand’s contributions to the ASEAN Circular Economy transition, particularly focusing on the Bio-Circular-Green Economic Strategy, with an emphasis on the impact from the recently-adopted EU Packaging Directive, a piece of legislation that regulates the management of packaging and packaging waste in the EU.

Apart from the main sessions, GIZ also organised a GIZ Networking Day on 18 April. This event saw 120 participants from 23 countries exchanging views and sparking discussions on the role of the circular economy globally.

Dr. Sujitra Vassadumrongdee in the Cities as Drivers for Circularity session

Dr. Sujitra Vassadumrongdee, an advisor on waste management at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), presented significant achievements and challenges in waste management and CE strategies under the theme “Cities as Drivers for Circularity”. Dr. Sujitra noted that BMA’s waste management is transitioning from a focus on cleanliness and disposal to sustainable waste management and the circular economy. Despite a strong emphasis on waste segregation for recycling, initiatives to reduce waste, particularly single-use plastics, remain critical. Building on the success of installing 10 public drinking water stations, the CAP SEA project has supported BMA and the Refill Bangkok Network with the development of an online mapping service for water refill stations and improvement of hygiene protocols, aiming to reduce the prevalence of single-use water bottles in urban areas.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Piti Eiamchamroonlarp (left). Dr. Sujitra Vassadumrongdee (right), during breakout sessions of the Interactive Thematic Networking session

WCEF2024 was organised by Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund, with the Circle Economy Foundation as the programme partner and the International Resource Panel as the science partner, in close collaboration with international partner organisations. The four-day event featured four plenaries and sixteen parallel sessions guided by the latest scientific evidence, enhanced by eleven workshops hosted by forum partners. The World Circular Economy Forum 2024 concluded successfully, with the next event scheduled to take place in Brazil next year.