Finland advancing agenda of circular economy: Envoy

New Delhi, Jan 10: Finland is advancing the agenda of a circular economy globally and India is a "key partner" of the Nordic country in this journey, Finnish envoy Kimmo Lähdevirta said on Friday.

In his address at an event hosted at the Finnish Embassy here, he also said, "The sheer commitment to innovation and sustainability makes our cooperation not only valuable but also essential."

The occasion was the launch of 'Design for Recyclability Guidelines for Films & Flexible Packaging' made by the Confederation of Indian Industry's India Plastics Pact after nearly year-long discussions and deliberations with various stakeholders in the flexible packaging industry, organisers said.

Flexible packaging refers to any type of package made using non-rigid material such as paper, plastic and foil, which readily conform to the shape of the product it contains.

The programme was co-organised by the embassy and Huhtamaki India, the Indian arm of over 100-year-old Finnish company, Huhtamaki Oyj, one of the leading firms globally in packaging solutions.

Finland's national roadmap to circular economy and the annual World Circular Economy Forum by the Finnish Innovation Fund, Sitra, "are just a few examples of how we are advancing this agenda globally," the Finnish envoy said in his address.

"India is obviously a key partner for Finland in this journey. The sheer commitment to innovation and sustainability makes our cooperation not only valuable but also essential," he said.

Huhtamaki shows what is possible when experts from both nations come together to tackle pressing global challenges, Lähdevirta said.

The circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended, according to a definition of circular economy mentioned on the website of the European Parliament.

The ambassador said, for Finland, "circularity is more than a strategy, it's a commitment to build a sustainable and resilient future".