Ecomondo returns to Rimini from 4 to 7 November with new challenges for the ecological transition. Alessandra Astolfi of IEG told us about the focus of this edition.
From 4 to 7 November, the Fiera di Rimini hosts a new edition of Ecomondo, Europe's leading event dedicated to green, blue and circular economy. An event that for nearly thirty years has charted the evolution of sustainability, transforming from a trade fair into an international platform for dialogue between businesses, institutions, research and new generations.
"Ecomondo is the reference trade fair for the circular economy in Europe, and I would say at a global level too," explains Alessandra Astolfi, Global exhibition director of the Green & technology division at Italian exhibition group, the company that organises Ecomondo. "What sets us apart is steady yet sustainable growth. We have expanded the exhibition areas and created new structures, continuing to reinvent ourselves without losing our identity."
The event continues to grow, both in exhibition content and in its scientific programme. At its heart will be two key threads: the recycling of electronic waste, a crucial issue for the ecological transition, and the sustainable transformation of textiles and fashion.
"This year we will have a major focus on electronics, because we are talking about precious materials, critical raw materials that are fundamental to the ecological and energy transition," says Astolfi.
Alongside this, the Textile district is gaining greater prominence thanks to the growing number of companies involved in the project that operate within the supply chain with a focus on sustainability, committing to ecodesign practices, impact reduction and technological advancement in recycling.
On 5 November, for example, Ecomondo's scientific technical committee and the Italian association for the development of the circular economy (Aisec), with the participation of Enea and Confindustria moda alongside major industry brands, will present their strategies for making the sector more circular during the event "Made in Italy Textile Industry: challenges and opportunities in a circular economy perspective – what's next?".
More than two hundred events – eighty of which are curated by Ecomondo's scientific technical committee, which has always guaranteed scientific rigour and quality of content – make up a programme that weaves together research, industry and policy.
"One of our pillars is precisely scientific rigour, because only reliable data and in-depth analysis make it possible to tackle crucial issues such as climate risk or water resource management," Astolfi emphasises.
Alongside the technical and sector-specific meetings dedicated to individual supply chains – from water to electronic waste, from textiles to the bioeconomy – the programme also offers broader discussion sessions capable of addressing the cross-cutting and most pressing issues of our time: the climate crisis, sustainable competitiveness and responsible communication.
On 4 and 5 November, the Stati generali della green economy are scheduled, organised by the Fondazione per lo sviluppo sostenibile in collaboration with the Ministry of the environment and energy security (Mase) and promoted by the Consiglio nazionale della green economy, at which the traditional annual report on the green economy will be presented. For the first time this year, the plenary session on 5 November will be held entirely in English, further extending the event's international reach. The debate will be devoted to the theme of sustainable competitiveness, with particular attention to industrial challenges and the opportunities linked to the European Green Deal.
Significant attention will also be given to the climate crisis: also on 4 November, the talk "Managing climate risk: insurance tools and obligations for businesses" will discuss the growing economic impact of extreme natural events and the new insurance coverage strategies designed to help companies deal with this type of risk.
The following day, on 5 November, the Forum della buona comunicazione, produced in collaboration with Ferpi, will bring together representatives from the worlds of science, communication and journalism, alongside company managers, for an open and concrete discussion on tools, metrics and communication choices – to demonstrate that sustainability and competitiveness can, and must, go hand in hand.
An international perspective runs throughout the entire event. In recent months, Ecomondo has embarked on a roadshow across Egypt, Serbia and Poland, and has been presented in Oman, Senegal and Tanzania, bringing Italian green economy expertise to the Mediterranean and beyond.
"We have in many ways played a role of industrial and environmental diplomacy, encouraging the participation of foreign buyers and businesses and promoting Italy as a centre of excellence in the circular economy," Astolfi recounts. Delegations from around forty countries, from North Africa to North America, will travel to Rimini to share models of cooperation and technology transfer.
On 6 November, for example, the Africa green growth forum will be dedicated to the Piano Mattei and the role of public-private partnerships for the sustainable development of the continent, with the participation of the Struttura di missione per l'attuazione del Piano Mattei of the Presidency of the council of ministers, the Ministry of the environment and energy security, the Ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Confindustria assafrica & Mediterraneo and RES4Africa.
For years Ecomondo has supported the growth of innovation through its Innovation district, the space dedicated to startups and research centres that this year will host forty emerging national and international players, twenty of which come from Morocco and Tunisia, selected in collaboration with Ice, the Italian agency for the promotion of Italian businesses abroad and their internationalisation.
"From these university spin-offs, genuine companies often emerge within just a few years – explains Astolfi – and over ten per cent of those that have passed through Ecomondo have managed to become structured businesses, a figure above the national average".
The technologies on show will range from artificial intelligence applied to recycling and environmental monitoring to marine-derived biomaterials. Friday 7 November will instead be the day dedicated to young people and the new green professions. "We want to build a bridge between the needs of businesses and the skills of the new generations," adds Astolfi. During the day, which is focused on careers guidance and STEM subjects, companies and students will have the opportunity to meet and discuss training, skills and green jobs.
Alongside the major economic and geopolitical themes, Ecomondo 2025 has not lost sight of the value of natural resources, chief among them water. "The water sector has grown enormously," Astolfi points out. "We will be talking about purification, potabilisation, water losses, but also about protecting ecosystems and recognising water as a great resource".
Also on the agenda: PFAS and emerging contaminants in urban water cycles, and alternative water sources for drinking water, agriculture and industry.
The programme includes sessions dedicated to European water management (Water regulation in Italy and the European Union, 4 November) and to the role of the Mediterranean in environmental cooperation (Blue horizons: trans-mediterranean cluster collaboration, 6 November). These topics interweave with bioeconomy, reforestation and resilient cities, underlining the link between planetary health and human health.
In 2025, Ecomondo celebrates twenty-eight editions and, with them, the evolution of a language. "We were born at a time when people only talked about waste and environmental protection; today we tackle issues of development and competitiveness. I believe Ecomondo has helped transform sustainability into a mature economic sector, capable of generating value and skilled employment," recalls Astolfi.
A journey that has also changed civic awareness: "We have worked, and continue to work, extensively with young people, schools and businesses. It is not only technology that must grow, but also the culture of sustainability".
Ecomondo thus confirms its role as a privileged observatory on the evolution of the green economy, where businesses, institutions and citizens come together to imagine a fairer, more competitive and more sustainable future.
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