Call On Zero Waste by ICCE
October | 2025
Istanbul, Türkiye | 17-19 Oct’25 — The International Council for Circular Economy (ICCE) is pleased to announce its strategic partnership with the Global Zero Waste Forum, following its recent convening in Istanbul. This partnership marks a meaningful step forward in ICCE’s ongoing mission to accelerate Zero Waste and circular economy solutions, with a strong focus on cities, community adoption, and policy innovation.
The Global Zero Waste Forum, hosted by the Zero Waste Foundation in Istanbul, has emerged as a pivotal international platform bringing together city leaders, policymakers, innovators, and civil society to drive tangible action toward a zero waste world. The inaugural forum took place from 17–19 October 2025, convening international stakeholders to advance waste reduction and circularity through practical and scalable solutions.
A Shared Commitment: Zero Waste as a Circular Transformation Agenda
ICCE’s partnership with the Global Zero Waste Forum reflects a shared belief that Zero Waste is not only a waste management goal, but a broader systems transformation—one that requires rethinking consumption, redesigning material flows, and restoring value to resources to protect ecosystems and livelihoods.
During the forum, ICCE was honoured to participate in the Zero Waste Cities dialogue, joining global thought leaders and policymakers to explore how cities can transition toward circularity and resilience through innovative waste reduction strategies. These dialogues underscored that cities—where the majority of global waste is generated—are also where meaningful transformation must begin.
ICCE’s Contribution: Advancing Zero Waste Cities Through Data, Communities & Circular Systems
At Istanbul, ICCE brought its expertise and on-ground experience in circular economy development, with a focus on urban systems, behavioural change, and regenerative design. The Zero Waste Cities discussions aligned strongly with ICCE’s work supporting cities and institutions to build Zero Waste pathways through:
- ✅ Building Circular Cities through Innovation & Collaboration: ICCE’s work emphasizes that circular cities require coordinated action across local governments, industry, citizens, and the informal sector—enabled through policy frameworks, incentives, and ecosystem partnerships.
- ✅ Strengthening Waste Systems with Data-Driven Solutions: The forum reinforced the importance of measurable impact—using data to track waste streams, improve collection and recovery systems, and design practical interventions that deliver outcomes beyond recycling.
- ✅ Empowering Communities to Adopt Circular Habits: ICCE advocates for community-led Zero Waste models rooted in everyday behavioural shifts and inclusive participation—because sustainable living is not built through systems alone, but through people.
- ✅ Reducing Plastic Pollution to Protect Rivers, Coasts & Oceans: ICCE continues to support circular strategies that reduce plastic leakage, strengthen Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) alignment, and improve local waste-to-resource infrastructure—protecting waterways and coastal ecosystems.
These priorities directly reflect the Forum’s focus on turning Zero Waste into practical action—through urban innovation, policy transformation, capacity building, and financing solutions.
Why This Partnership Matters
With increasing pressure on cities and communities due to rising waste generation, resource constraints, and climate impacts, ICCE and the Global Zero Waste Forum are aligned in advocating for:
- Systems-level circular economy transformation
- Zero Waste policy and governance innovation
- Sustainable consumption and citizen engagement
- Climate-resilient urban development
- Collaborative platforms that scale impact across regions
This partnership will enable greater knowledge exchange, cross-border collaboration, and stronger global alignment around Zero Waste implementation—particularly for emerging markets and rapidly growing urban regions.
About the Global Zero Waste Forum
The Global Zero Waste Forum is a global gathering hosted by the Zero Waste Foundation in Istanbul, bringing together leaders and practitioners from cities, industry, communities, and institutions to drive action toward a Zero Waste world. It focuses on transforming material systems, consumption patterns, and environmental outcomes through circular solutions and policy leadership.
Learn more: https://globalzerowasteforum.org/ Global Zero Waste Forum
About ICCE
The International Council for Circular Economy (ICCE) is a global platform working to advance circular economy adoption through research, policy engagement, capacity building, and ecosystem development. ICCE supports institutions and stakeholders to move from linear waste systems toward regenerative models built on resource efficiency, responsible design, and inclusive circular development.
Looking Ahead: From Dialogue to Action
Following Istanbul, ICCE will continue strengthening collaboration with the Global Zero Waste Forum to support cities and institutions in translating Zero Waste commitments into measurable circular outcomes—ensuring that waste becomes opportunity and innovation drives meaningful change. Together, ICCE and the Global Zero Waste Forum are paving the path to sustainable living—where materials remain in use, nature is protected, and communities thrive.
