BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6adc14254cd9f DTSTART:20261027T140030Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20261027T180030Z LOCATION:Online\, SUMMARY:Webinar on Circular Economy: circular packaging for agri-food syste ms\, from bioeconomy to regulation CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Agri-food systems in the Latin America Region are pillars of fo od security\, employment and export growth\, and their scope encompasses s ectors such as packaging\, distribution and waste management\, which are h ighly exposed to environmental pressures and changing regulations. The tra nsition from a linear model of extracting\, producing\, consuming and disc arding towards circular models is therefore a technical and institutional imperative\, aimed at eliminating waste at the design stage\, keeping prod ucts and materials in use\, and regenerating natural systems. In this rega rd\, the bioeconomy offers a way to diversify production\, add value to ag ricultural\, agro-industrial\, fisheries and aquaculture discarded materia ls and waste\, and reduce dependence on fossil-based inputs. Circular pac kaging represents a strategic entry point for linking bioeconomy\, sustain able production and regulation\, as it prioritises the reduction of unnece ssary materials\, eco-design\, compostability where appropriate\, and wast e recovery\, without compromising its logistical and health-related functi onality. Several Un Agencies have highlighted the need to accelerate the t ransition towards management models based on prevention\, recovery\, and r ecycling. Almost a decade later\, this acceleration has yet to be material ized. The commercial dimension lends a sense of urgency to this agenda. I n 2023\, global exports of plastic goods reached approximately US$1.13 tri llion\, accounting for around 5% of world trade in goods (UNCTAD\, 2025)\, against a backdrop of regulatory changes in the main destination markets.   The Matrix on government action to promote a circular economy\, devel oped by UNCTAD as part of the Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP) programme\, in collaboration with SELA\, constitutes a k ey technical tool for monitoring and evaluating the actions taken by gover nments in the region with regard to their roles in relation to production\ , products and processes. (UNCTAD\, 2025). UNCTAD has also under its Ocean and Blue Economy programme identified the potential for marine-based biom aterials to promote plastic substitution.  Regulatory compliance alone d oes not guarantee productive transformation\; bridging this gap requires c oordinated decisions between governments\, the private sector and cooperat ion agencies\, so that early alignment with international requirements tra nslates into the differentiation of exportable goods and the development o f emerging value chains in packaging design\, recycling and biomaterials. In short\, the challenge lies in moving from a fragmented response to exte rnal regulatory pressure towards a regional agenda of its own for innovati on in circular packaging.https://smepprogramme.org/"\; target="\;_ blank\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/webinar-ci rcular-economy-circular-packaging-agri-food-systems-bioeconomy-regulation DTSTAMP:20261024T021253Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR