In News:

Manohar Lal, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, announced the Cities Coalition for Circularity (C-3), a multi-nation alliance for city-to-city collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and private sector partnerships.

• Platform: 12th Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia and the Pacific
• Venue: Rajasthan International Centre, Jaipur, Rajasthan

What is C-3?

• The Cities Coalition for Circularity (C-3) is a multi-national alliance aimed at enhancing city-to-city collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and public-private partnerships.
• It focuses on promoting circular economy principles, resource efficiency, and low-carbon development.

Organizers and Supporters:

• Organized by: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (India), United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD), and Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
• Supported by: United Nations ESCAP, Ministry of Environment (Japan), and other global organizations

Key Announcements:

• Formation of a Working Group to finalize the coalition’s structure and operational framework
• Adoption of the Jaipur Declaration (2025–2034) – a nonpolitical, nonbinding declaration guiding the next decade of action for resource-efficient and sustainable urban growth

Highlights of the Forum:

• Theme: Realizing Circular Societies Towards Achieving SDGs and Carbon Neutrality in Asia-Pacific
• 3R India Pavilion: Inaugurated by Union Minister and Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma, showcasing 40+ Indian and Japanese start-ups in waste management and circular solutions

What is a Circular Economy?

A circular economy is a regenerative system where:

• Products, materials, and resources are maintained in use for as long as possible
• Waste is minimized through reuse, recycling, remanufacturing, composting, etc.
• It aims to decouple economic growth from resource consumption, addressing climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.