Circular Economy

• The drivers of resource consumption are population growth and economic development, leading
to unsustainable consumption and production in the ASEAN region.
• Increased consumption will lead to higher material extraction and processing. The current
model of resource consumption has a linear flow (production→consumption→waste) and will
lead to various negative environmental impacts, including GHG emissions, land pollution, water
pollution, and waste, which will impact human health and disrupt the global supply chain by
increasing natural hazards and risks due to climate change.
• Some AMS are taking a comprehensive approach to promote recycling through product design
and extended producer responsibility (EPR), expanding the market for circular economy (CE)
products and services beyond waste issues alone.
• Material resource efficiency, circular economy strategies, and the role of secondary goods and
EPR need to be strengthened and incorporated as part of the ASEAN sustainable consumption
and production (SCP) framework to build a regional circular flow.
• Green public procurement with a single ASEAN-wide standard or several standards that could
be harmonized would provide incentives for the private sector to embrace circular economy
principles.
• Supporting and enabling policies are needed including on sustainable lifestyles and
infrastructure; these should protect vulnerable people and incorporate gender-sensitive
perspectives. More research is needed to design better policy instruments in the region.
• Regional cooperation is needed to coordinate among upstream and downstream stakeholders
to create a regional circular economy and related enabling mechanisms. For example
developing an ASEAN-wide EPR framework or green public procurement with a single ASEANwide
standard or several standards that could be harmonized would provide incentives for the
private sector to embrace circular economy principles.
• The ASEAN Working Groups on Chemicals and Waste (AWGCW) and on Natural Resources
and Biodiversity (AWGNCB) could jointly promote integrated circular economy approaches for
ASEAN.
• Implementation of SDG 12 on SCP would greatly facilitate the development of a circular
economy in the region, especially when combined with the targets on sustainable
industrialization and infrastructure in SDG 9.