World Circular Economy Forum kicks off in São Paulo with urgent focus on material scarcity

ITALY – The World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF2025) has taken center stage this week in São Paulo, Brazil, bringing together thousands of scientists, business leaders, policymakers and investors.

The event’s focus is on one pressing issue: how to deal with the growing strain on raw materials while keeping economies running and protecting the planet.

Running from May 13 to 16, the forum has seen participants from across the globe come together both in person and online. They are discussing practical ways to cut waste, use fewer new materials and build stronger, greener economies.

“The global demand for critical materials is growing fast,” said Kari Herlevi, Director of the Circular Economy Programme at the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, one of the event’s lead organizers.

“By choosing circular approaches, countries and companies can reduce the use of virgin raw materials and avoid repeating past mistakes of resource exploitation.”

Circular economy models encourage practices like repair, remanufacturing, reuse and recycling to stretch the value of goods and materials. This can reduce dependence on mining and imports, while also creating new jobs and industries.

Business leaders see real value in this approach. Josué Gomes da Silva, president of the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP), said, “The shift creates new opportunities for the financial sector. Brazil, for instance, has strong potential to support businesses and attract investment through circular models.”

The forum’s schedule has included 120 sessions covering topics from nature protection to business practices. High-profile speakers have included COP30 President André Aranha Corrêa do Lago, Colombia’s environment minister Susana Muhamad, and former Finnish President Tarja Halonen.

Panels have also featured bank executives, scientists, and leaders from global companies like Airbus and Lojas Renner.

One of the key messages at WCEF2025 is the need to close the gap between labor productivity and resource productivity.

A recent study by Brussels-based think tank Bruegel revealed that while global labor productivity grew by 3.5 times between 1970 and 2024, resource productivity only grew 1.5 times. This points to a major gap that circular practices could help fix.

The discussions are not limited to the main sessions. Over 100 smaller events, called accelerator sessions, are being held to focus on how to turn ideas into everyday actions.

These sessions are covering topics such as circular financing, community-based reuse models and producer responsibility for plastic waste.

As Brazil also prepares to host the COP30 climate talks later this year, the forum is shaping up as a major step toward aligning economic planning with environmental goals.

Organizers hope that this week’s outcomes will feed into the climate discussions and help set the tone for a more resource-aware global economy.

“Circularity is not just an environmental issue,” said Herlevi. “It’s an economic one too – and  it’s a path to fairness, resilience and growth.”

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