Ecomondo looks to the future of the circular economy and sets a date for 2026

The sustainable transition is facing increasingly complex challenges in a global geopolitical context where not everyone is heading in the same direction. Yet institutions, businesses and the scientific community continue to show vibrancy and determination: collaborating, forming alliances, innovating and seeking solutions to achieve ever more ambitious goals. Such is the spirit that reigned at Ecomondo, Europe's leading event dedicated to the green, blue and circular economy, hosted by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) at the Rimini Exhibition Centre from 4 to 7 November 2025. 

Now in its 28th edition, the event has confirmed its status as a benchmark for all those involved in the transformation affecting the planet. Italy is playing a leading role in this scenario, promoting international cooperation and the dissemination of best practices in sustainability and the circular economy, as emphasised by the Minister for the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, during his visit on 6 November. <<We can say that we are among the leading countries in the world in terms of recycling capacity,>> explained the Minister. <<There is a lot of talk about rare earths and critical raw materials, but the largest deposit we have is our waste. And recycling capacity is fully demonstrated at this fair, a symbol of innovation and sustainability.>> 


The most international edition ever 
The figures for Ecomondo 2025 show a growing trend, reflecting an increasingly international outlook: +7% overall attendance and +10% foreign visitors. There were over 1,700 exhibiting brands, 18% of which came from abroad, spread over 166,000 square metres of exhibition space. More than 800 hosted buyers and delegations from 65 countries animated an event with a global outlook, while over 600 accredited journalists - 15% of whom international - covered news and insights through media outlets around the world. 

Thanks to the collaboration with ICE (Organisation for Foreign Trade and the Internationalisation of Italian Companies, also known as Italian Trade Agency) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), Ecomondo 2025 confirmed its status as a global hub for dialogue between companies, institutions and the world of research, with a network of around 90 international associations involved and 3,800 business matches generated in four days. Among the most represented markets were Spain, Turkey, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt. 


General Assembly of the Green Economy 
An important moment for reflection, debate and sharing was the 14th edition of the Green Economy General Assembly, with the presentation of the Report on the State of the Green Economy 2025, drafted by the Foundation for Sustainable Development and the National Council for the Green Economy. In this context, Italy has confirmed its strength in the circular economy, eco-industry and resource efficiency, but must accelerate in energy, mobility and climate governance. In other words, a country that knows how to transform waste into value, but not yet clean energy into structural development.  

The plenary session on the second day, “Green economy: driving the future in times of uncertainties”, held entirely in English for the first time, further broadened the international scope of the event by comparing different points of view, from Europe to the United States, from China to Africa. 


Africa Green Growth Forum 
In the same vein, ample space was also given to cooperation around the Mediterranean and in Africa, thanks to the fifth edition of the Africa Green Growth Forum. This event was conceived as a platform to promote dialogue between governments, institutions and businesses in the name of sustainable and inclusive growth. The reference frameworks are the Mattei Plan, based on Italy's long-standing partnership with African nations, and the multilateral Mission 300 programme, led by the World Bank and the African Development Bank, aiming to provide clean and reliable electricity to 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. 

In total, over 200 events took place during Ecomondo 2025, offering a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the policies and technologies involved in the ecological transition. In particular, under the guidance of the Technical Scientific Committee presided over by Fabio Fava, around 70 conferences addressed key issues such as critical raw materials, EPR, sustainable finance, the blue economy, bioenergy, and the latest applications of artificial intelligence in resource management and enhancement. In addition, the challenges of communication took centre stage, as this plays a fundamental role in overcoming misleading narratives, generating trust and spreading stories that convey a new idea of development. 

 

• You may also be interested in: The global chessboard of critical raw materials and the challenge of the circular economy 

Innovation and green jobs 
With a rich programme of events focusing on guidance and training, Ecomondo also served as a workshop for synergies between students and young workers wishing to move towards sustainability, and companies committed to ecological transition. This initiative is part of the Green Jobs & Skills programme, in turn part of a broader project dedicated to innovation. Start-ups and scale-ups came together in the Innovation District, which housed 40 high-tech companies, including 20 from Morocco and Tunisia, selected through the “Luca Attanasio” Lab Innova for Africa programme, promoted by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). During the event, the Lorenzo Cagnoni Award for Green Innovation was also presented, in recognition of the seven most promising technologies presented in the various exhibition sectors. 

Among the most visited pavilions at this edition of Ecomondo was the biennial Salone del Veicolo per l'Ecologia (Sal.Ve, or Ecology Vehicle Exhibition), held in collaboration with ANFIA, which showcased the most advanced solutions for the collection and management of solid and liquid waste, street sweeping and drainage, all of which are essential for the construction of Circular & Healthy Cities. 

 

• You may also be interested in: Circular & Healthy City: a model for sustainable urban design   

See you in 2026 
Ecomondo closed its 2025 edition with such results, reinforcing its mission as a permanent workshop for sustainable innovation and a platform for international discussion. The date for the 29th edition has already been set: from 3 to 6 November 2026, the Rimini Exhibition Centre will once again be the beating heart of the global green transition. 
Written by Emanuele Bompan and Maria Carla Rota 

This blog is a joint project by Ecomondo and Renewable Matter