“India will host the 12^th Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia and the Pacific. The Forum will take place at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur on 3-5 March 2025. The event will centre on the theme of "Realizing Circular Societies Towards Achieving SDGs and Carbon Neutrality in Asia-Pacific." said Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal at the Curtain Raiser  event organized today at the National Media Centre, New Delhi as a precursor to the main Forum.

Union Minister also informed that over 500 international and domestic participants are expected to attend the three-day conference packed with plenary sessions, country-specific discussions, theme-based roundtables, as well as knowledge-sharing and networking opportunities. He also informed that the delegates will also have an opportunity to undertake technical field visits to the solid and liquid waste management facilities and visit key heritage sites in Jaipur.

A dedicated ‘India Pavilion’ will showcase India’s remarkable initiatives and achievements in the 3R and circular economy domain. This Pavilion will feature exhibitions from key line ministries and national missions, reflecting India’s whole-of-government approach to sustainable development. It will also serve as a hub for interactive knowledge-sharing, with sessions such as the ‘Ministers & Ambassadors Roundtable Dialogue,’ ‘Mayors’ Dialogue,’ ‘Policy Dialogue’ and the signing of agreements under the CITIIS 2.0 program. Multiple launches of knowledge products will take place at the Forum including a compendium of over 100 best practices put together by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).

The Forum will host an international ‘3R trade and technology exhibition’, providing a platform for over 40 Indian and Japanese businesses and start-ups to showcase best practices, ideas and solutions that support circularity and 3R principles while encouraging cross-learning. Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal informed that ‘Waste-to-wealth initiatives by NGOs and Self-help Groups across India will also be showcased at the Forum promoting sustainability-driven entrepreneurship and community engagement.

Shri Manohar Lal informed that the 12^th Forum will conclude with the adoption of the ‘Jaipur Declaration’ for enabling transition to  a resource-efficient, circular economy in Asia-Pacific countries and will be handed over  to the next host country. The Jaipur Declaration (2025-34) builds upon the Hanoi Declaration (2013-23) and aims to provide participating countries with a framework for developing 3R and circular economy policies and programs, which enable a shift from a linear ‘take-make-dispose’ economy to a circular economy. It is a voluntary and legally non-binding agreement.

Launched by UNCRD in 2009, the Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum aims to provide strategic policy inputs to government authorities in the Asia-Pacific region for mainstreaming 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) and circularity and serve as a platform for disseminating and sharing best practices in 3R. The last Forum was hosted in 2023 by Cambodia. India has previously hosted the Forum in 2018, when the 8^th edition was held in Indore.

The 12^th Regional Forum is being spearheaded by the Swachh Bharat Mission- Urban of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in collaboration with Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, UN ESCAP, UNCRD, UNDSDG, and UNDESA, with support from the Government of Rajasthan.

This Forum, focused on the Asia-Pacific region, aims to guide member-countries in shaping policies and actions on 3R and the circular economy in the coming years. With participation expected from 38 invited member countries, 15-line ministries of the Government of India, almost all States/UTs, over 60 cities, more than 40 start-ups and businesses, and around 120 speakers across 3 days, this Forum will serve as a platform for policy discussions, collaboration and knowledge exchange. By fostering these partnerships, it will accelerate progress towards a circular economy and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 12^th Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum will be open for virtual participation on all three days. Participants may attend the sessions online by registering on https://3rcefindia.sbmurban.org/.

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