The Asia-Pacific Circular Cities Forum (APCC-Forum), an international conference exploring a sustainable future for the Asia-Pacific region, opened its doors in Yokohama. The forum is positioned as a vital platform for cities across Asia-Pacific to join forces and take their first concrete steps toward realizing circular cities.
Local governments including the City of Yokohama, international organizations, and circular economy practitioners from Japan and abroad gathered to discuss the transition from a linear economy to a circular economy.
This report draws on insights from speakers and leading city case studies to examine where the circular economy in Asia-Pacific stands today and what it signals for the future.
Asia-Pacific Cooperation in the Face of Resource Constraints and Climate Change — and the Potential of “Cities”
At the opening of the forum, Yokohama Deputy Mayor Jun Matsuura (松浦淳) highlighted the significance of the Asian Circular Cities Declaration (ACCD), a joint initiative led by the City of Yokohama and ICLEI Japan.
Deputy Mayor Matsuura: “Today, we face interconnected and profound challenges: climate change, resource constraints, waste, and energy. The transition to a circular economy — one that reconciles economic growth with reduced environmental impact — is a fundamental transformation of how we produce, consume, and live.”
He also noted that the Asia-Pacific region, home to approximately 60% of the world’s population and a global hub of manufacturing, holds the key to the success or failure of the circular economy worldwide. The ACCD, launched last year, currently encompasses 26 cities representing a combined population of 57 million people (as of the forum’s opening). The forum was framed as a historic platform for moving the declaration beyond words — toward knowledge sharing, stronger policy-making capacity, and concrete action and collaboration.
Deputy Mayor Matsuura posed the question: “But who will make this transition happen, and where will it take place?” With so many stakeholders — nations, businesses, consumers — he argued that “cities” are precisely where all these elements converge and where change is put into practice within society.
The session illustrated how cities can serve as the foundation for turning ideas into action — by creating enabling environments for businesses and residents, and by fostering cross-sector collaboration spanning waste, energy, transport, and water resources.
Can a Declaration as a “Common Language” Support Diverse Pathways?
The subsequent plenary session, titled “Pathways to a Circular Economy in Asia-Pacific Cities,” explored transition models tailored to the distinct characteristics of different regions. Socioeconomic conditions across Asia-Pacific cities vary enormously — which is precisely why flexible, context-sensitive models are needed rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
The first speaker was Sarah O’Carroll, representing the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international nonprofit dedicated to accelerating the transition to a circular economy.
O’Carroll: “In advancing the circular economy, national-level policy is important for setting rules and direction and creating the conditions under which businesses and cities operate. But many of the decisions that determine how materials flow through daily life are made in city planning, procurement contracts, waste collection systems, and neighborhood communities. This ‘proximity’ to businesses and communities is a strength that cities have that national governments do not.”
O’Carroll referenced the Foundation’s “Urban Policy Levers” framework and stressed that not every city needs to follow the same sequence. Cities with limited fiscal capacity can start with procurement; those with less regulatory authority but strong initiative can focus on connecting communities and businesses.
She emphasized that “shared frameworks and declarations are not valuable because they compel all cities to take identical actions. Their greatest significance lies in creating a common language, fostering a community where cities can learn from one another and more easily identify shared barriers.” Having a common language, she argued, makes collaborative pilot projects, joint policy development, and access to finance more achievable.
At the same time, she cautioned against over-reliance on “waste-to-energy” as a shortcut solution, calling instead for a gradual acceleration of circular solutions that regenerate nature and build resilient economies, alongside resource recovery and recycling.
As a city-level practitioner, Mark Gregor Afable, Director of the Information Office of Borongan City in the Philippines, took the stage. With a population of approximately 72,000, Borongan is located on the Pacific coast and is highly vulnerable to typhoons. The city, which once used concrete embankments to manage river flooding, has since shifted course — using domestic climate adaptation funds to plant bamboo along the most vulnerable riverbanks while retaining some concrete structures, and planting native trees on upstream hillsides.
Afable: “Concrete starts cracking the day it is poured. But bamboo holds the soil and grows back. The forest upstream slows the water and grows stronger with each passing year. We have built protection that regenerates itself.”
Building on this philosophy, the city has expanded into household food waste composting, segregated e-waste management, and community-wide initiatives in partnership with residents. The experience demonstrates that by leveraging existing natural assets and community ties, it is possible to build sustainable protection and adaptation systems that grow in value over time.
The subsequent panel discussion featured Akiko Yamamoto (山本晃子) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Rieko Kubota (久保田利恵子) of the World Bank Tokyo Development Learning Centre (TDLC), and O’Carroll of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Yamamoto explained that the UNDP’s new Strategic Plan (2026–2029) also sets as a goal “accelerating human development while reducing pressure on the planet.”
Yamamoto: “The circular economy is not an environmental movement. It is a new economic model that shifts us from linear to circular. A challenge unique to Asia is that we cannot ignore informal workers and waste collectors. They must be included within government safety nets.”
She stressed that rather than transplanting systems such as Europe’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) directly onto Asia-Pacific, adaptation to each country’s social context and the realities of the informal sector is essential.
Kubota of the World Bank TDLC addressed the dual challenge of reducing inequality while achieving a circular economy, and offered the following perspective:
Kubota: “For the ACCD to be more than just a declaration, what is needed is not only the practical sharing of experience between cities, but also a bridge that connects those experiences to actual lending operations and elevates them into bankable projects.”
While praising the success of community-led recycling initiatives such as waste banks in Makassar, Indonesia, she also advocated for the importance of “phased, stakeholder-specific finance design (decoupling)” to strengthen the fiscal foundations of local governments.
There is no single correct answer — and that is precisely why having a common language matters. What emerged from this discussion was a vision of cities acknowledging their different starting points while using the shared framework of a declaration to learn from one another and connect to policy and finance. Circular approaches that draw on local nature and community strengths have the potential to turn Asia-Pacific’s very diversity into a source of strength.
GREEN×EXPO 2027 as a Stage for Social Implementation — and Co-Creation Beyond City Borders
The next session focused on “Practical Knowledge for Circular Cities: Co-Creation and Expansion Through GREEN×EXPO 2027.” First to speak was Misa Mimiya (見宮美早), Director of Sustainability Promotion at the GREEN×EXPO Association, who introduced GREEN×EXPO 2027 (the 2027 International Horticultural Exposition), to be held in Yokohama from March 19 to September 26, 2027.
Themed “Tomorrow’s Scenery That Creates Happiness,” the exposition is expected to welcome participants from 71 countries and 5 international organizations, serving as a venue to envision a future in which nature, people, and society thrive together.
Mimiya emphasized the importance of viewing GREEN×EXPO 2027 not merely as an exhibition, but as a platform for the “social implementation” of various initiatives including the circular economy. Plans for the venue include sustainability procurement and resource circulation policies, the reuse of timber from the Osaka-Kansai Expo, and the composting of plant residues.
Mimiya: “Value is not created by a single technology or cutting-edge innovation. It is created by changes in awareness and behavior within society.”
Mimiya then moderated a discussion on circular economy practices in cities and their potential expansion across the Asia-Pacific region.
Norio Tomioka (冨岡典夫), Director General of the Global City Strategy Division, Policy Management and International Strategy Bureau of the City of Yokohama, introduced the city’s initiatives under the keyword “co-creation.” He cited “Yokohama Circular Link” as a measure to accelerate the transition to a circular city, explaining that it aims to visualize material flows in areas such as food, construction, and consumer goods, and to foster new cross-sector business models. In the Minato Mirai district, efforts are underway to quantitatively track resource circulation in commercial facilities, including an initiative to upcycle popcorn discarded at cinemas into beer.
Tomioka: “No single actor can achieve the circular economy alone. What matters is connecting different sectors and co-creating together.”
Elizal Junior Rekin Sabinay, Senior Assistant of the Cebu Provincial Planning, Development and Investment Office in the Philippines, outlined the challenges facing Cebu Province, where waste management is fragmented across individual municipalities. He described plans for “GX Park Cebu,” an integrated waste management facility designed to collect, process, and recover resources across multiple municipalities, with a feasibility study for select areas launched in September 2026.
Sabinay: “Waste does not recognize political boundaries or administrative districts. That is precisely why the circular economy must, wherever possible, be conceived beyond municipal borders.”
Cebu Province has long maintained partnerships with companies in Yokohama, benefiting from years of technical cooperation and knowledge sharing. The province plans to draw on insights gained from other organizations and cities participating in this forum, and to launch full-scale activities informed by findings from experts and partners.
Tamara Iskandar, Urban Strategy Lead at Circle Economy — a Netherlands-based nonprofit — highlighted three trends in circular cities across Europe: establishing circular rules through public procurement and other mechanisms, making material flows visible, and fostering collaboration among multiple cities. At the same time, she noted that data gaps, shortages of human resources and expertise, public-private collaboration, and financing remain common challenges.
Iskandar: “Start by measuring material flows and understanding the current situation. From there, identify the priority areas and begin with just one or two sectors.”
Fernando Gomez, Head of Future of Materials and Executive Committee Member at the World Economic Forum, spoke about the role of private enterprise in the circular economy. According to a survey of companies, the share of businesses that consider the circular economy strategically important has risen from approximately 30% three years ago to around 74% today (as of 2026), with projections suggesting this figure will reach approximately 96% in three years’ time. This shift is driven not only by a desire to reduce environmental impact, but also by growing recognition of business benefits including competitive advantage, profitability, supply chain resilience, and resource security.
Gomez: “The private sector is ready. There is a growing recognition that these strategies generate revenue and create economic value, and the appetite for collaboration is rising at every level.”
The subsequent panel discussion focused on the theme of “How to Realize and Accelerate Circular Cities.”
Sabinay pointed to the need for platforms that allow municipalities to learn from one another and collaborate with businesses and local communities, in order to overcome the fragmented waste management systems that differ from one municipality to the next. Iskandar stated, “We don’t need to have the best data in the world. What matters first is developing a shared understanding of where we are now and moving in the same direction,” urging participants to grasp the current situation and start taking action. Gomez agreed that the challenge lies in the “how,” and proposed rethinking what the private sector means in an urban context — highlighting three key priorities: leveraging data, utilizing advanced technologies held by businesses, and fostering collaboration between local companies and local governments.
Tomioka stressed the need to scale up the visualization of resource circulation from individual pilot projects to the city as a whole. Reiterating that “no single actor can achieve the circular economy alone,” he underscored that co-creation among diverse stakeholders — government, business, and communities — is the key to advancing the transition to a circular city.
Across Asia-Pacific, many organizations are already treating the circular economy as a pillar of their business strategy and are preparing to collaborate. At the same time, the discussions so far have highlighted what is needed for the next step: platforms for cross-boundary learning, data to establish a shared understanding of the current situation, and the steady accumulation of locally rooted co-creation. With GREEN×EXPO 2027 as one starting point, there is great anticipation for the expansion of spaces where practical knowledge can be shared from Yokohama to the wider Asia-Pacific region.
From Declaration to Action: The Next Steps for Circular Cities Under the ACCD
“Cities are no longer merely sites of resource consumption. They are becoming places that generate new value through circularity and innovation.” — Takeshi Sekiya (関谷毅史), Director-General for Global Environment at the Ministry of the Environment, made this point as he reflected on the forum’s discussions during the ACCD Assembly and Closing Session that brought the two-day event to a close. He praised the ACCD — which builds on fourteen years of achievements from the Asian Smart City Conference — as a new driving force for fostering inter-city collaboration, and expressed respect for the leadership shown by the City of Yokohama in spearheading this inaugural forum.
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), also contributed a video message, noting that urban areas — where the challenges of climate change, resource depletion, waste, and pollution are most acute — are precisely “where viable solutions can have the greatest and most immediate impact.” Mike Josef, Mayor of Frankfurt, Germany, participating as a representative of cities that have signed the European Circular Cities Declaration, described the partnership with Yokohama — with which Frankfurt has been a sister city since 2011 — as “a bridge between Europe and Asia.”
The closing session also saw the announcement of new cities signing the ACCD. Togo Uchida (内田東吾), Executive Director of ICLEI Japan, which serves as the ACCD Secretariat, announced that 17 new cities had joined from India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Malaysia, as well as Kobe, Japan. This brings the total number of ACCD signatory cities to 43 across 11 countries, representing a combined population of approximately 82 million people.
A survey conducted by ICLEI Japan among signatory cities also revealed that “market creation” and “local rules” are common bottlenecks, lagging behind planning and awareness-raising activities. In response to these challenges, the first action plan — “ACCD Action 2026” — was formulated. Three working groups were launched to drive concrete progress toward 2027: the “ACCD Good Practices Working Group” to collect and share exemplary cases; the “ACCD Solution Matching / Co-Creation Working Group” to facilitate the adoption of private-sector solutions; and the “ACCD Progress Management Working Group” to establish mechanisms for tracking the efforts of signatory cities.
Taiki Kiyonaga (清永貴暉), who presented the outcomes of the Youth Session, highlighted examples of young people taking real action in the areas of disaster resilience, entrepreneurship, and policy participation. He noted that all of these examples were made possible through collaboration with local governments, businesses, universities, international organizations, and civil society, and emphasized that “when young people have opportunities to learn through practice, nurture their ideas, and take action, they can generate greater impact.” He also announced the launch of a student project originating in Yokohama, in which students from the city will research urban challenges across the Asia-Pacific region and develop practical ideas and solutions. He closed by saying, “Young people are said to represent the future — but they can also shape the cities of today,” expressing hope that the discussions and student projects from these two days would inspire the next generation ahead of the APCC and the 9th Asia-Pacific Urban Forum (APUF-9), both to be held in Yokohama in 2027.
In closing remarks on behalf of the organizers, Yokohama Deputy Mayor Jun Matsuura reflected that “at this forum, the ACCD has taken a major step forward — from declaration to action.” In 2027, during the GREEN×EXPO 2027 period, Yokohama will also host the APCC Forum, APUF-9, and CIR-BAY — an international circular economy trade fair expected to attract approximately 350 exhibitors from Japan and abroad and 30,000 visitors. Matsuura announced plans to scale up the APCC Forum next year, designating August 30 to September 3, 2027 as “Yokohama Circular Week” — an opportunity for people engaged in the circular economy from around the world to gather in Yokohama and connect with one another.
From a space for cities to share knowledge, to a space that generates concrete action and co-creation — the next stage is set to begin in Yokohama in 2027.
【Reference Article】A Circular Economy Starting from Cities: Asia-Pacific Takes Its First Step from Declaration to Action [APCC2026 Report] | Circular Economy Hub
【Reference Site】Asia-Pacific Circular Cities Forum 2026 (APCC-Forum 2026)
※This article is republished from Circular Economy Hub, operated by Article Inc.
