Gandhinagar / Helsinki , June 9 : The World Circular Economy Forum will be held for the first time in South Asia this year. The event will take place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India, from 15th to 18th September. The tenth edition of WCEF places India at the forefront of scaling circular economy solutions that address the challenges of a resource constrained world. WCEF2026 will be organised jointly by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra and the Central Pollution Control Board , supported by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change , Government of India, in coordination with Government of Gujarat and in collaboration with global and Indian partners.
“The adequacy of resources has become a major concern for policymakers both in Western countries and in the Global South, albeit with different priorities. Amid current global conflicts, the cost of living is rising in many parts of the world. At the same time, the prevailing linear economy on which our modern economy is based, wastes enormous amounts of resources”, says Kari Herlevi, Director of the Global circular economy programme at the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. Sitra is the initiator of WCEF.
The world loses nearly US$30 trillion each year because it uses resources in accordance with the linear economy—most often only once. This recent figure comes from the Circle Economy, a Dutch foundation partnering with WCEF.
This year’s forum theme will be ”Circular economy: Transition for people and prosperity”, engaging communities and businesses all over the world to build a successful future together. In this direction, India, through its Mission Life (Lifestyle for environment) initiative is leading a global mass movement to nudge individual and community action to protect and preserve the environment. India is also promoting circular economy principles through initiatives such as 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and thereby strengthening sustainable development and resource efficiency.
WCEF2026 provides a critical platform to showcase scalable solutions, foster global partnerships and position India as a leader in driving the circular economy transition.
The forum’s programme and speakers will be announced in the coming weeks on WCEF2026.com.
The programme will consist of two days of the main forum, curated by the co-hosts and partners, and two days of accelerator sessions by collaborators, plus an expo showcasing best circular solutions from India and around the world. This year, for the first time, there will be an open call for both the expo area and the accelerator sessions. The call for accelerator session applications is launched today, and the call for expo area hosts is expected to be launched later in June.