Mapping 3R and Circular Economy Policy Implementation in Asia and the Pacific

The circular economy is a strategy that can lead to sustainable consumption and production, which is critical for decoupling development from environmental concerns. Even though the Asia–Pacific area has made rapid economic progress in recent years, there are fundamental challenges that have created bottlenecks in the adoption of a circular economy. This study attempted to examine regional policies and initiatives geared toward 3R and a circular economy, especially in the background of the Hanoi 3R Declaration: Sustainable 3R Goals for Asia and the Pacific (2013–2023). The analysis relied on secondary data from existing literature, multilateral agency reports, government websites, and non-profit organization websites. According to our analysis, whereas East Asia, some Southeast Asian countries, and two Oceanian countries have clear strategic roadmaps for establishing a circular economy, the remaining regions are still in the early phases. The study also revealed that one of the key difficulties confronting the Asia–Pacific area is a lack of concrete policies, particularly those aimed at managing emerging waste. However, various hurdles are posed by institutional, technological, and financial issues. A brief examination of best practices from around the world was undertaken to motivate stakeholders. These effective circular economic processes, notably in agriculture, manufacturing, and infrastructure, can be replicated across the Asia–Pacific region to help it achieve its sustainable development goals faster. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.