UN Climate Change Conference - COP 30 - Belém, Brazil, HIGH-LEVEL MINISTERIAL EVENT: Waste management and Circular Economy
Concept Note
by the Brazilian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Date: November 11, 2025
Time: 10:30 - 12:00 (90 minutes)
Venue: GCA Room 2 (Madeira)
Event Description:
As part of COP30, the Presidency of Brazil, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), is preparing the official presentation of a transformative initiative: "Circular Economy NOW!: Prevention, Diversion, and Management to Turn Waste into a Resource for Climate, Livelihoods, and Food Security."
This comprehensive plan proposes an integrated action strategy to accelerate circular food waste prevention and management systems. Its core objectives include substantial methane mitigation, enhanced resource recovery, and strengthened community resilience, while also promoting the integration of circular strategies for non-organic materials.
The global scope of this initiative, with a particular focus on implementation in cities across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, underscores its potential for widespread impact. Furthermore, the plan strongly emphasizes inclusive decision-making, recognizing and supporting diverse stakeholders, from policymakers to waste pickers, and fostering multi-level governance to promote sustainable waste management strategies and advance global climate resilience.
Headline:
The "Circular Economy NOW!" initiative acts as a catalyst for global advancement and a model for a campaign to transform waste into resources, intrinsically emphasizing the vital role of cities, local governments, the informal sector, and community participation in achieving ambitious climate goals and building a more resilient and just future.
Vision:
This session reflects the vision that the robust implementation of the circular economy and transformative waste management are crucial components for global climate action and sustainable development. By integrating comprehensive prevention, diversion, and waste management solutions into urban systems, supply chains, and infrastructures, countries can catalyze a significant reduction in methane and other greenhouse gas emissions, protect the environment, strengthen public health, and promote socioeconomic equity, especially in vulnerable regions.
Outcome to be announced/launched:
The "Circular Economy NOW!" initiative highlights the leadership of the Brazilian Ministry of Environment, acting as a catalyst for global advancement and a model for the campaign to transform waste into resources, intrinsically emphasizing the vital role of cities, local governments, the informal sector, and community participation in achieving ambitious climate goals and building a more resilient and just future. This plan outlines a path for the valorization of waste as an essential pillar for food security, income generation, and strengthening community resilience, underscoring that every local circular economy action directly contributes to global sustainability objectives.
Expected Outcomes:
List of speakers:
- Carolina Urmeneta, Global Methane Hub
- Minister Marina Silva, Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Brazil)
- Minister Jader Filho, Minister of Cities (Brazil)
- Adalberto Maluf, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (Brazil)
- Julia Cruz, Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Commerce (Brazil)
- Clementine O'Connor, United Nations Environment Programme
- Alexandre Motta, President of the National Health Foundation (Brazil)
- Marina Helou, SĂŁo Paulo State Parliament
- Marçal Cavalcanti, ANAMMA President
- ABEMA representative
Target audience:
Policymakers, national governments, mayors and governors (subnational leaders), private sector representatives, and civil society advancing circular economy and waste management solutions for climate action and sustainable development.
Organisers:
Rationale:
In the first place, risk-informed decision-making is currently limited by substantial data gaps and in Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems. Despite a medium maturity level, the difficulty in quantifying indirect and cross-sectoral emission reductions, inherent to the circular economy, such as material substitution and changes in consumption patterns, represents a significant challenge for planning and investment prioritization. Furthermore, the Standards and Taxonomies section, also at a medium maturity level, reveals partial alignment and an urgent need for unified metrics and indicators for circularity, material recovery, and emissions accounting, which hinders a clear evaluation of progress and strategy effectiveness. These factors, taken together, impede the formulation of evidence-based policies and access to climate finance.
Secondly, the initiative faces critical deficiencies in the Supply and Demand levers, both classified with low maturity. On the supply side, significant gaps persist in essential infrastructure and services for at-source waste segregation, efficient collection, adequate transportation, and recovery and treatment. This inadequacy severely restricts the implementation of circular solutions and exacerbates pollution, although the informal sector, with proper support, could play a fundamental role in overcoming these barriers. As for demand, it remains weak for valorized materials, components, and by-products, a direct consequence of inconsistent standards and a lack of information. To remedy this, the development of institutional mechanisms, such as sustainable procurement and fiscal incentives, is crucial to create stable markets and promote inclusive participation.
A third set of challenges lies in Policy and Regulation and Public Opinion, both showing low maturity. Current policies are often fragmented, which hinders progress in waste prevention, valorization, and the recognition of key actors. There is an urgent need for harmonized and enforceable regulatory frameworks that promote product redesign, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, food donation, segregated waste collection and treatment, as well as the integration of the informal sector and robust fiscal incentives. Simultaneously, although Public Opinion shows growing awareness of the impacts of the linear economy and food waste, effective behavioral change remains limited. This calls for continuous awareness and education campaigns, advocacy, and targeted "nudges," culturally adapted, to catalyze changes in both industrial and consumption environments, as well as in food systems.
Finally, although Technology Shifts show a high maturity level, indicating the existence of robust technologies for reuse, recycling, and material recovery, their deployment is restricted by infrastructure costs and unequal access. The priority is to scale context-specific technologies that integrate informal actors and local innovation, ensuring socially inclusive and economically viable solutions. Complementarily, Knowledge and Capacity Building, at a medium maturity level, underscores the need for training for a wide range of stakeholders—from policymakers to waste pickers. It is crucial that capacity development is localized, integrating traditional knowledge, community experience, and regional priorities to ensure relevance and ownership, promoting long-term systemic change anchored at the intersection of science and local knowledge.
As part of COP30, the Presidency of Brazil, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), is preparing the official presentation of a transformative initiative: "Circular Economy NOW!: Prevention, Diversion, and Management to Turn Waste into a Resource for Climate, Livelihoods, and Food Security."
This comprehensive plan proposes an integrated action strategy to accelerate circular food waste prevention and management systems. Its core objectives include substantial methane mitigation, enhanced resource recovery, and strengthened community resilience, while also promoting the integration of circular strategies for non-organic materials.
The global scope of this initiative, with a particular focus on implementation in cities across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, underscores its potential for widespread impact. Furthermore, the plan strongly emphasizes inclusive decision-making, recognizing and supporting diverse stakeholders, from policymakers to waste pickers, and fostering multi-level governance to promote sustainable waste management strategies and advance global climate resilience.
Headline:
The "Circular Economy NOW!" initiative acts as a catalyst for global advancement and a model for a campaign to transform waste into resources, intrinsically emphasizing the vital role of cities, local governments, the informal sector, and community participation in achieving ambitious climate goals and building a more resilient and just future.
Vision:
This session reflects the vision that the robust implementation of the circular economy and transformative waste management are crucial components for global climate action and sustainable development. By integrating comprehensive prevention, diversion, and waste management solutions into urban systems, supply chains, and infrastructures, countries can catalyze a significant reduction in methane and other greenhouse gas emissions, protect the environment, strengthen public health, and promote socioeconomic equity, especially in vulnerable regions.
Outcome to be announced/launched:
The "Circular Economy NOW!" initiative highlights the leadership of the Brazilian Ministry of Environment, acting as a catalyst for global advancement and a model for the campaign to transform waste into resources, intrinsically emphasizing the vital role of cities, local governments, the informal sector, and community participation in achieving ambitious climate goals and building a more resilient and just future. This plan outlines a path for the valorization of waste as an essential pillar for food security, income generation, and strengthening community resilience, underscoring that every local circular economy action directly contributes to global sustainability objectives.
Expected Outcomes:
- Official Presentation of Accelerated Circular Economy Solution: Officially launch the "Circular Economy NOW!" initiative, and establish it as a core strategy for solid waste management and waste-to-resource transformation.
- Promotion of Circular Economy Practices and Integration into National and Urban
Climate Strategies: Promote the adoption of circular economy and waste management practices into national and urban climate strategies. Aim to cut 1M tons of methane, prevent 50% food waste by 2030, and integrate 1 million waste pickers and informal workers into formal systems. - Mobilization of International Support and Financing for Circular Economy
Infrastructure and Operations: Mobilize over USD 10 billion in climate-aligned international support and financing. Fund circular economy infrastructure, operations, and innovative waste valorization solutions.
List of speakers:
- Carolina Urmeneta, Global Methane Hub
- Minister Marina Silva, Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Brazil)
- Minister Jader Filho, Minister of Cities (Brazil)
- Adalberto Maluf, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (Brazil)
- Julia Cruz, Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Commerce (Brazil)
- Clementine O'Connor, United Nations Environment Programme
- Alexandre Motta, President of the National Health Foundation (Brazil)
- Marina Helou, SĂŁo Paulo State Parliament
- Marçal Cavalcanti, ANAMMA President
- ABEMA representative
Target audience:
Policymakers, national governments, mayors and governors (subnational leaders), private sector representatives, and civil society advancing circular economy and waste management solutions for climate action and sustainable development.
Organisers:
- COP30 Presidency (Brazil)
- Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA)
- Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (MDIC)
- Ministry of Cities (MCid)
- UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
- Instituto PĂłlis
- Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)
- Food Waste Breakthrough
- The Global FoodBanking Network
- Food is Never Waste Coalition
- Global Methane Hub
- WRAP
- WWF
- GAIA
- ReFED
Rationale:
In the first place, risk-informed decision-making is currently limited by substantial data gaps and in Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems. Despite a medium maturity level, the difficulty in quantifying indirect and cross-sectoral emission reductions, inherent to the circular economy, such as material substitution and changes in consumption patterns, represents a significant challenge for planning and investment prioritization. Furthermore, the Standards and Taxonomies section, also at a medium maturity level, reveals partial alignment and an urgent need for unified metrics and indicators for circularity, material recovery, and emissions accounting, which hinders a clear evaluation of progress and strategy effectiveness. These factors, taken together, impede the formulation of evidence-based policies and access to climate finance.
Secondly, the initiative faces critical deficiencies in the Supply and Demand levers, both classified with low maturity. On the supply side, significant gaps persist in essential infrastructure and services for at-source waste segregation, efficient collection, adequate transportation, and recovery and treatment. This inadequacy severely restricts the implementation of circular solutions and exacerbates pollution, although the informal sector, with proper support, could play a fundamental role in overcoming these barriers. As for demand, it remains weak for valorized materials, components, and by-products, a direct consequence of inconsistent standards and a lack of information. To remedy this, the development of institutional mechanisms, such as sustainable procurement and fiscal incentives, is crucial to create stable markets and promote inclusive participation.
A third set of challenges lies in Policy and Regulation and Public Opinion, both showing low maturity. Current policies are often fragmented, which hinders progress in waste prevention, valorization, and the recognition of key actors. There is an urgent need for harmonized and enforceable regulatory frameworks that promote product redesign, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, food donation, segregated waste collection and treatment, as well as the integration of the informal sector and robust fiscal incentives. Simultaneously, although Public Opinion shows growing awareness of the impacts of the linear economy and food waste, effective behavioral change remains limited. This calls for continuous awareness and education campaigns, advocacy, and targeted "nudges," culturally adapted, to catalyze changes in both industrial and consumption environments, as well as in food systems.
Finally, although Technology Shifts show a high maturity level, indicating the existence of robust technologies for reuse, recycling, and material recovery, their deployment is restricted by infrastructure costs and unequal access. The priority is to scale context-specific technologies that integrate informal actors and local innovation, ensuring socially inclusive and economically viable solutions. Complementarily, Knowledge and Capacity Building, at a medium maturity level, underscores the need for training for a wide range of stakeholders—from policymakers to waste pickers. It is crucial that capacity development is localized, integrating traditional knowledge, community experience, and regional priorities to ensure relevance and ownership, promoting long-term systemic change anchored at the intersection of science and local knowledge.
published: , 11|2025
Keywords: Material Recovery, Pollution Control, Policy Tax Instruments, Sustainability, Climate, Resource management, Brasil
Related papers
What can we expect in waste management with regard to emissions trading systems from 2026 onwards?
COP30 Is Over. But for the World’s Most Vulnerable, the Crisis is Ongoing
Techno-Economic and Environmental Impact Assessment of Organic Waste Incineration for Energy Recovery in Jordan
Ten New Insights in Climate Science 2025
Waste-to-energy: How Europe can avoid sleepwalking into a landfill catastrophe and achieve net zero
Enhanced phosphorus reclamation from secondary effluent through Donnan dialysis and vivianite crystallization
Assessing the circularity potential of textile flows for future markets in Denmark: A study of textile anatomy
How to Scale Up Effective International Climate Finance by the EU?
The Global Plastics Treaty must include strict global controls on plastic waste trade
Littering Behaviour in Multicultural Slums: A Case Study from Brazil
COP30 Is Over. But for the World’s Most Vulnerable, the Crisis is Ongoing
Techno-Economic and Environmental Impact Assessment of Organic Waste Incineration for Energy Recovery in Jordan
Ten New Insights in Climate Science 2025
Waste-to-energy: How Europe can avoid sleepwalking into a landfill catastrophe and achieve net zero
Enhanced phosphorus reclamation from secondary effluent through Donnan dialysis and vivianite crystallization
Assessing the circularity potential of textile flows for future markets in Denmark: A study of textile anatomy
How to Scale Up Effective International Climate Finance by the EU?
The Global Plastics Treaty must include strict global controls on plastic waste trade
Littering Behaviour in Multicultural Slums: A Case Study from Brazil