India will host the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2026 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from September 15 to 18, marking the first time the global forum is being held in South Asia.
The forum will be organised under the theme ‘Circular Economy: Transition for People and Prosperity’ and will bring together more than 2,000 stakeholders from over 65 countries, including business leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, policymakers, academicians and other stakeholders.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel will jointly inaugurate the forum on September 15.
The event is being jointly organised by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, Government of Finland, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of Gujarat and Gujarat Pollution Control Board.
Focus on global cooperation and circular finance
The forum will showcase India’s initiatives to promote circularity and strengthen international cooperation on sustainable production and consumption.
Circular economy practices focus on reusing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products and returning them to the economy as valuable resources.
WCEF 2026 will provide a platform for global collaboration and greater engagement with the Global South, while facilitating the mobilisation of circular finance and private-sector investment. It will also promote policy dialogue, cross-sectoral partnerships and innovation in digitalisation and technology for circularity.
125+ exhibitors to showcase circular solutions
The forum on September 15 and 16 will feature four plenary sessions and 16 parallel thematic sessions covering areas including artificial intelligence, employment potential, energy production, finance, governance, sustainable products, industrial solutions, start-up ecosystems and youth leadership.
An international expo featuring more than 125 national and international exhibitors will showcase practical circular economy solutions developed by start-ups as well as investment-ready innovations.
The event is expected to provide opportunities for stakeholders to explore partnerships, technologies and investment opportunities aimed at accelerating the transition towards circular economic models.
India to co-chair 10 YFP Board meeting
On the sidelines of WCEF 2026, the Board of the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10 YFP) will hold an in-person meeting in Gandhinagar on September 15.
India has recently assumed the role of Co-Chair of the 10 YFP Board, reflecting its continued engagement in promoting sustainable consumption and production.
On September 17 and 18, global collaborators will independently organise 80 accelerator sessions in online, hybrid and in-person formats at Gandhinagar and other locations around the world.
Forum to conclude with handover to next host
The closing ceremony will be attended by Gujarat Minister for Forests, Environment and Climate Change Arjunbhai Devabhai Modhwadia, along with Finland’s Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala, Gujarat Minister of State for Forests and Environment and Climate Change Pravinbhai Mali, and other senior officials.
The ceremony will conclude with the formal handover to the next host by Sitra’s Director of International Programmes Kristo Lehtonen.
