Advancing circular economy solutions to address pollution

Addressing material use, waste and pollution, and advancing circular economy transitions in Asia and the Pacific are central to achieving sustainable development outcomes that combine economic prosperity, environmental integrity and human well-being. The region’s development trajectory over recent decades has delivered substantial gains in income, infrastructure and access to services, lifting millions out of poverty. At the same time, these gains have been underpinned by rapidly growing material and energy use (Schandl and West, 2010), resulting in escalating waste generation, emissions and pollution pressures that now pose significant risks to ecosystems, public health and longterm economic resilience (UNEP, 2024).