ASEAN CE Platform

[𝐂𝐄 𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥] 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 "𝐟𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭" 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲? 🌍

The Netherlands is widely recognized as a global leader in circularity, but its journey didn't start with a perfect roadmap. It started with a "self-fulfilling prophecy."

In 2013, the idea of the Netherlands as a "circular frontrunner" was a daring proclamation, a classic case of "fake it till you make it" designed to rally politicians, businesses, and citizens toward a shared goal.

Today, with the world's first circular roadmap and a circularity rate that remains among the highest in the world, the prophecy has become a reality.

💡Key takeaways from the Dutch journey:

🌷Necessity breeds innovation: Lacking natural resources, the Dutch applied their world-famous water management expertise to resource efficiency.

🌷The Power of Collaboration: The launch of the Holland Circular Hotspot (HCH) created a central hub for government, knowledge institutions, and business.

🌷Scale Matters: Big enough to lead, yet small enough to foster tight-knit societal change.

Could this model be the blueprint for accelerating the transition across ASEAN?💭

🔗 Read the full story of how a bold vision transformed a nation: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-netherlands-became-circular-frontrunner-circle-economy-pt9ye/?trackingId=uQ6EIL30ReasXOjZ333xiQ%3D%3D

🙏🏻Thank you Luba Glazunova, Communications Specialist at Circle Economy for such an interesting article!

[𝐄𝐏𝐑 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝟏/𝟑] 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞-𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐍: 𝐀 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐏𝐑 🌏♻️

We have just concluded our Country Spotlight on the EPR journey! To help you visualize the broader regional landscape, here is the first in our three-part series comparing EPR systems across ASEAN.

The Philippines, Singapore, and Viet Nam are leading the charge with formal Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks. By shifting the burden of waste management from local governments to the producers themselves, these nations are redefining how we value resources.

Here is how these three neighbors are tackling the plastic and packaging challenge:

🇵🇭 The Philippines: The Power of Plastic Credits

The Philippines is moving fast with the EPR Act of 2022.

🔹The Focus: Primarily targeting plastic packaging (from sachets to rigid containers) produced by large enterprises.
🔹The Goal: An ambitious climb from 20% recovery in 2023 to 80% by 2028.
🔹The X-Factor: The use of Plastic Credits, allowing companies to offset their footprint by funding verifiable plastic recovery and recycling projects.

🇸🇬 Singapore: Data-Driven Sustainability

Singapore leverages the Resource Sustainability Act (RSA) to turn waste into a resource through precision and technology.

🔹The Focus: Comprehensive reporting for all packaging types via the Mandatory Packaging Reporting (MPR).
🔹The Goal: Reaching a 70% national recycling rate by 2030.
🔹The X-Factor: The upcoming Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) in 2026, which uses a 10-cent deposit to turn every consumer into a stakeholder in the recycling process.

🇻🇳 Viet Nam: The Hybrid Strategy

Viet Nam’s Law on Environmental Protection 2020 offers flexibility to producers while ensuring no material is left behind.

🔹The Focus: A broad range of packaging including paper, metal, and glass for everything from food to medicine.
🔹The Goal: Tiered recycling rates (currently 10%–22%) that scale up every three years.
🔹The X-Factor: A "Hybrid" Model. Companies can either run their own recycling programs or contribute to the Viet Nam Environmental Protection Fund, allowing the government to manage high-risk or hazardous waste streams.

💡 The Takeaway

While their methods differ—ranging from market-based credits to digital tracking and government-led funds—the message is clear: The future of ASEAN is circular.

By holding producers accountable, these frameworks are sparking innovation in eco-design and creating a more resilient, sustainable region for us all.

Resources:
[1.] Social Network Analysis - ASEAN Circular Economy & EPR Stakeholder Mapping Inception Report https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nMGmjIqh-mv9r5ogime0ToFcj39H543u/view?usp=drive_link

[2.] Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris
https://rkcmpd-eria.org/extended-producer-responsibility/legal-framework/singapore

𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐏 𝐂𝐄 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐮𝐛 🌏🤝

One of the biggest hurdles in the ASEAN Circular Economy is knowing who is doing what.
We noticed a gap. It’s often difficult to stay updated on which parties are working on which projects.

At our latest webinar, we promised to help you step up your engagement. The ACESP Community Hub is our answer, the front regional platform specifically for CE stakeholders to link, connect, and grow!

🤝Connect & Expand: Find EPR expertise and regional partners without duplicating resources.

📖Feature Your Impact: Share your ongoing projects, interests, research, case studies, and projects with a dedicated ASEAN audience.

📣Amplify Your Voice: We selectively cross-link featured works into our Monthly Newsletter and official platforms to ensure your work reaches the right decision-makers.

Don't let your work sit in a silo. Become part of the ecosystem that is shaping a circular ASEAN.

📩 Interested in joining? Fill in your profile and interest here! https://forms.gle/4MPKQpfWitd1SPyz6

[𝐂𝐄 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐍] 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝’𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 🇹🇭

How does a nation move from "take-make-dispose" to a truly circular economy? 🤔

The answer lies in the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA)’s latest release: “Thailand’s Best Practices and Lessons Learned in Development Vol. 2.”

Thailand is proving that sustainability is a philosophy. By rooting modern strategies in the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) and scaling them through the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy model, they are transforming waste into wealth and consumption into conservation.

📍Here’s how they are redefining "Responsible Consumption" through 3 powerful pillars:

1️⃣Innovative Financing (The "Harm to Help" Model): Through ThaiHealth, a surcharge on to***co and alcohol is redirected to fund community well-being. It’s a masterclass in fiscal innovation—turning the social cost of harmful products into a stable engine for public health.

2️⃣Consumer Transparency & Digital Tools: The Zero Carbon app puts the power of change in the traveler's pocket. By allowing tourists to track their carbon footprint and purchase offsets for reforestation, Thailand is making "Carbon Literacy" a core part of the travel experience.

3️⃣Sustainable Markets in Action: At the BCG Green Market in Mae Hia, the future looks a lot like the past. By swapping single-use plastics for biodegradable alternatives like banana leaves and incentivizing waste sorting at the source, they are proving that green habits can be seamless and community-driven.

💡Curious to dive deeper into these best practices?https://tica-thaigov.mfa.go.th/static/pdf-flipbook-master/index.html?file=https%3A%2F%2Fimage.mfa.go.th%2Fmfa%2F0%2FGH2PYnujXi%2F%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%2FE-Book_TH_Best_Practice_Vo_2_Final-full_23_Feb.pdf

กรมความร่วมมือระหว่างประเทศจัดทำหนังสือ Thailand’s Best Practices and Lessons Learned in Development เล่มที่ 2 เพื่อเผยแพร่ตัวอย่างการพัฒนาประเทศของไทยต่อประชาคมโลก ในฐานะที่ประเทศไทยเป็นหุ้นส่วนการพัฒนาที่สนับสนุนให้ประเทศกำลังพัฒนาต่าง ๆ บรรลุเป้าหมายการพัฒนาที่ยั่งยืน ผ่านความร่วมมือแบบใต้-ใต้ และไตรภาคี

หนังสือเล่มดังกล่าวนำเสนอตัวอย่างความสำเร็จในการพัฒนาประเทศ ซึ่งแสดงถึงแนวทางการพัฒนาที่น้อมนำหลักปรัชญาของเศรษฐกิจพอเพียงเป็นหลักการนำในการพัฒนาประเทศในด้านต่าง ๆ ที่สอดคล้องกับเป้าหมายการพัฒนาที่ยั่งยืน 8 สาขา ได้แก่ การเกษตรอัจฉริยะและความมั่นคงทางอาหาร การสร้างหลักประกันการมีสุขภาวะที่ดีและส่งเสริมความเป็นอยู่ที่ดีสำหรับทุกคนในทุกช่วงวัย การเปลี่ยนแปลงสภาพภูมิอากาศและประเด็นด้านสิ่งแวดล้อม การพัฒนาเศรษฐกิจชีวภาพ เศรษฐกิจหมุนเวียน และเศรษฐกิจสีเขียว ความครอบคลุมทางสังคม การท่องเที่ยวอย่างยั่งยืน งานที่มีคุณค่าและการพัฒนาทางเศรษฐกิจ และการพัฒนาอื่น ๆ ที่ตอบสนองเป้าหมายการพัฒนาที่ยั่งยืน

หนังสือเน้นจุดเด่นของการพัฒนาที่ประสบความสำเร็จว่า มีคนเป็นศูนย์กลางและให้ความสำคัญกับการมีส่วนร่วมในการพัฒนาที่เหมาะสมกับภูมิสังคม พัฒนานวัตกรรมที่เหมาะสม รวมถึงต้นทุนที่เข้าถึงได้ ซึ่งประเทศกำลังพัฒนาต่าง ๆ สามารถนำไปประยุกต์ใช้ในการพัฒนาประเทศของตน โดยประเทศไทยพร้อมที่จะให้การสนับสนุนทางวิชาการแก่ประเทศต่าง ๆ ในการบรรลุเป้าหมายการพัฒนาที่ยั่งยืน

The Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) launched a publication titled “Thailand’s Best Practices and Lessons Learned in Development Vol. 2” to disseminate examples of approaches to Thailand’s development to the global community. As a trusted partner for development, Thailand supports various developing countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through South-South and triangular cooperation.

The said book presented success stories demonstrating development approaches guided by the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) as a core principle of the country's development, which aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across eight key areas: Smart Agriculture & Food Security; Good Health & Well-being; Climate Change & Environment Issues; Bio-Circular-Green Economy Model; Social Inclusion; Sustainable Tourism; Decent Work & Economic Development; and Other Issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The book highlights that successful development is people-centered and places importance on a participatory approach that focuses on each local geo-social context with appropriate, accessible, and affordable innovations, all of which can be applied by other developing countries. In this connection, Thailand stands ready to continue to provide development cooperation to other countries toward achieving sustainable development.

E-Book Link:https://tica-thaigov.mfa.go.th/static/pdf-flipbook-master/index.html?file=https://image.mfa.go.th/mfa/0/GH2PYnujXi/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3/E-Book_TH_Best_Practice_Vo_2_Final-full_23_Feb.pdf

✨ 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞! ✨

Ready to network, share ideas, and strengthen our Circular Economy community? This week, we're making it easy to connect with fellow stakeholders and the ACESP team.

📢 The ASEAN-EU Sustainability Summit 2026 🌍🤝

We are proud to see the circular economy taking center stage at this year’s inaugural summit! This 7 May, leading voices from across ASEAN and Europe will meet to turn high-level "green ambition" into real-world "sustainable action."

Discussion Highlights:
🌱 Circular Economy & ESG Leadership
⚡ Energy Transition & Supply Chains
🚜 Sustainable Agriculture

📅 Date: 7 May 2026
🕗 Time: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM (plus networking cocktail!)
📍 Location: Tambuli Seaside Resort and Spa, Cebu, Philippines
👉 View the agenda & register: https://eu-asean.glueup.com/event/asean-eu-sustainability-summit-2026-166270/agenda.html

🙏🏻Special thanks to ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC)

𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐏 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 #𝟏 🌍“𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐏𝐑 & 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧”

What a way to kick off our 2026 series! On Tuesday, 28 April 2026, we hosted a vibrant, applied policy-practice dialogue on a topic that sits at the heart of the region's circular transition: “From Fees to Fairness: Governing EPR & PROs in ASEAN.”

With over 100 participants joining us from across the globe, we were energized to see such a collective drive to move beyond the "what" and dive deep into the "how" of credible, inclusive governance.

🙏🏻A Special Note of Gratitude to Our Speakers: A dialogue is only as strong as the voices within it. A huge thank you to our distinguished speakers and panelists for sharing their frontline expertise. By bridging the gap between industry leadership, informal-sector realities, and policy design, you provided the clarity needed to turn complex EPR frameworks into actionable regional success.

🌟The Roadmap Ahead: The insights gathered yesterday aren’t just staying in the Zoom room. They are feeding directly into our annual ASEAN Circular Economy Forum (ACEF) and upcoming regional policy dialogues.

🚀 What’s next? This is just the beginning. We have a full year of challenging and inspiring topics lined up. Make sure you’re following us here and have bookmarked our Community Hub to stay in the loop.

[ACESP Update] A cute snapshot from ACESP/ACSDSD Family!🔫

The ACESP and ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue team recently gathered at our headquarters to celebrate the Songkran Festival with a meaningful water-pouring ceremony. By honoring our leadership, we embrace the Thai New Year tradition of seeking blessings for prosperity and success.

As we move forward into the new year, we remain committed to fostering a sustainable and prosperous ASEAN together.🌟

Happy Songkran to all our stakeholders! 💦