Bio-Circular-Green Economy Prize Honors Climate Trailblazers

Reaffirming Asia-Pacific’s commitment to sustainability under the Bangkok Goals, APEC named three climate trailblazers for the Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG) Award.

Announced at the Annual Ministerial Meeting in Gyeongju, the recognition reflects the region’s shared goal to embed sustainability at the core of future growth and prosperity.

From coastal communities to factory floors, this year’s awardees are redefining what growth can mean, proving that environmental responsibility and economic progress can move hand in hand.

From China, Wang Jianli, co-founder of Blue Circle Technology, leads one of the region’s most impactful marine waste management enterprises, transforming ocean waste into valuable resources through technology.

“My love for the ocean inspired me to co-founded Blue Circle Technology. We focus on transforming marine waste into valuable resources through technology. What I’m most proud of is how our work has changed lives, especially for women and elderly people who once picked up trash out of poverty. Now, they’re picking up hope,” Wang said.

Representing Viet Nam, Trần Nhân Kiệt, founder of BINKS – Botanical Inks, applies artificial intelligence and biotechnology to transform discarded fruits and vegetables into safe, high-performance inks and paints.

“Viet Nam discards more than seven million tons of vegetables every year. Instead of letting that become waste, we upcycle it into inks that dry faster, last longer and are completely safe for children and educators,” said Trần. “We want every child, every school and every creative community in the Asia-Pacific to have access to safe, sustainable and inspiring art materials.”

From Singapore, Emmanual Tay, CEO and co-founder of Circular Unite, builds on his family’s three generations of recycling to integrate artificial intelligence, IoT and data analytics into waste management systems.

“Like many MSMEs driving sustainability transitions, Circular Unite faces challenges, but they also drive our innovation and collaboration. By tackling them head-on, we aim to accelerate industry transformation and create long-term cultural change in waste and recycling across the Asia-Pacific,” said Tay.

The 2025 BCG Award winners illustrate how sustainability is moving from principle to practice across APEC economies, creating industries, jobs, and investment that anchor a more sustainable future.

“The BCG Award underscores member economies’ shared commitment to translating the Bangkok Goals into tangible progress. Under Korea’s host leadership, the recognition reflects how economies are integrating sustainability into growth models and fostering innovation that delivers both environmental and social value.” said Eduardo Pedrosa, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat

Meet the winners of the 2025 APEC BCG Award