Our technical delivery partner, UNCTAD, will be hosting a side-event to the World Circular Economy Forum 2025!
Opportunities for embedding the bio-economy into national circular economy plans
🗓 Date: 12 May 2025
🕒 Time: 2:00 PM GMT -3
⌛Duration: 3 hours
📍 Venue: In person at Sala da Congregação, FEA-USP, São Paulo, Brazil, or join online.
Registration Here
Registration is mandatory to attend in-person. For online attendance WATCH HERE
Despite global interest in circular solutions, organic materials remain an overlooked resource. As of 2025, more than 86 circular economy roadmaps have been adopted across 62 countries. Yet, progress in transforming organic waste into valuable resources has significantly trailed behind advancements in sectors like plastics, batteries, and e-waste.
In many regions of the Global South organic residues form a major part of municipal solid waste, but these wastes continue to flow through a linear system to landfill, where they decompose, contributing to leachate and air emissions including methane.
The circular alternative to the linear progression of organic wastes (from agricultural production to urban consumption, and ultimately, to landfills) might encompass strategies that span production of food, natural fibre, animal feed, biochemicals, energy, and avoidance of Greenhouse Gas emissions.
Organic materials are naturally renewable and could replace fossil-based products in industries ranging from agriculture to energy. However, the current reliance on the bio-economy without integrating circular strategies risks overburdening land use and harming biodiversity.
The SMEP Programme will co-host an event at the World Circular Economy Forum where the spotlight will be on field experiences East and West Africa. These projects showcase viable and innovative uses for organic residues, turning waste into marketable products such as black soldier fly larvae protein, textile fibres, biogas, and biodegradable agricultural materials.
Meet the SMEP project partners participating in this event
These solutions have high potential for developing nations where agriculture and urban consumption intersect. Recognising the critical role of policy, the event includes discussion on regulatory approaches. Experts will explore how national circular economy frameworks can shift practices away from landfilling and toward value creation – helping unlock the full potential of organic materials in the circular transition. In addition, opportunities for South-South cooperation and trade expansion will be explored.
For additional insights and updates from the SMEP Programme on organic waste potentials
