As global attention turns toward sustainable development and resource efficiency, Ecomondo 2025 positions itself as a pivotal hub for advancing the circular and blue economies across Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Set to take place at the Rimini Expo Center in Italy from 4–7 November 2025, the exhibition will spotlight new areas of collaboration, the role of artificial intelligence in environmental transformation, and opportunities for MENA stakeholders to engage directly with global industry leaders.
In this interview, Mauro Delle Fratte, Exhibition Manager of Ecomondo, discusses the key themes shaping the upcoming edition—from digitalization and AI to blue economy innovation, sustainable cities, and cross-regional partnerships aimed at turning shared challenges into actionable solutions.
Ecomondo is a global platform trying to attract experts & industry players from the Middle East. What’s new for the 2025 edition?
At the 2025 edition, Ecomondo will be decisively aiming for greater internationalization to further consolidate its role as a reference platform for the circular economy in Europe and the Mediterranean basin. The event will take place in Italy, at Rimini Expo Center, from 4th to 7th November, covering an area of 166,000 square meters. This year, new thematic tours will be introduced to guide the public through the different supply chains, from plastic to water. For visitors from the MENA area, Ecomondo is a concrete opportunity to network with European companies and research centers, as well as to gain access to advanced solutions in the fields of recycling, bioeconomy, and water resources. We have already strengthened dialogue with the Middle East thanks to our international roadshow, which stopped off in Cairo, Egypt, in July.
AI and its role in driving the circular economy is a big ongoing debate. How is Ecomondo going to relay the role of the latest technology in advancing this?
Digitalization and the use of artificial intelligence will be central to Ecomondo 2025. The Earth Observation and Environmental Monitoring section—one of the event’s seven macro areas—will present AI applications for environmental monitoring, but using this technology is also relevant in waste treatment, in water network management, and in industrial decarbonization, as demonstrated by the innovations on display in the relevant districts and in the programmed conferences. Of particular interest among those scheduled is the “From sky to ground: Earth observation for sustainable critical raw materials management” talk, organized by Ecomondo’s Technical Scientific Committee together with Turin Polytechnic, CINECA, and the Space Agency, which will address the use of satellite data and observation technologies in managing critical environmental resources. The objective is to show how these technologies are not just efficiency tools, but can become accelerating factors for the circular economy, thanks to more precise resource management and predictive process control.
Partnerships between Europe and the Middle East are growing. How is Ecomondo positioning itself as the catalyst platform?
Ecomondo was designed to act as a bridge to connect markets around the world. The 2025 edition will see a strengthening of ongoing collaborations with Mediterranean countries and a structured dialogue on common projects with institutions and industrial associations. The show offers spaces and moments for business matching, where European and MENA companies can explore synergies and joint developments. It is a unique opportunity to accelerate investments and partnerships that have a real impact on the territory. Furthermore, collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), and exchanges with foreign associations and institutions, fuel the event’s internationality. In fact, Ecomondo 2025 will also include the fifth edition of the Africa Green Growth Forum, a key event for dialogue between companies, institutions, and investors on the development of the circular economy on the African continent. The event will focus on cooperation prospects and the progress of the Mattei Plan, with particular attention to adaptation to climate change and the sustainable and regenerative development of the African continent. Delegations and start-ups (the latter in the district dedicated to innovation) are also expected to attend from countries in the Mediterranean area and the Middle East, such as Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The conference program will guarantee visibility to projects and best practices that extend beyond European borders, with round tables and workshops that bring MENA and Europe together on common challenges: water management, urban regeneration, and the circular economy.
We are seeing the ‘Blue Economy’ emerging. What is Ecomondo showcasing in this regard?
Focus on the water cycle and the Blue Economy is one of the cornerstones of the 2025 edition. The Blue Economy District, included in the Water Cycle & Blue Economy sector, will host projects and companies active in marine and coastal ecosystems, and here topics such as the regeneration of marine water systems, desalination technologies, water purification, marine innovation, and the use of data for coastal monitoring will be addressed. Conferences in this regard will include the “European and Mediterranean nature-based, digital and cyber-physical initiatives projects to innovate water management” event, organized by Ecomondo’s Technical Scientific Committee in collaboration with institutions such as UTILITALIA, ISPRA, and Water Europe. It will examine hybrid solutions that combine natural approaches and digital tools to manage water resources. Projects related to the treatment and reuse of wastewater and coastal city adaptation to climate change will be demonstrated. Being a strategic topic for MENA countries, which face crucial challenges in terms of water availability, the Blue Economy will be the focus of workshops and discussion panels.
Smart & Green Cities are facing major challenges in implementation. Any breakthroughs at Ecomondo 2025?
The smart city challenge is central among the vertical districts. The Circular & Healthy City District, in particular, will be the showcase for urban planning solutions, air quality management, green infrastructures, and technologies for urban well-being. During the event, real cases of smart cities and replicable models in MENA contexts will be discussed, highlighting hybrid approaches between digital and nature. The Environmental Monitoring & Earth Observation sector will also delve into these topics with conferences on the role of sensors and satellite data in predictive urban planning. And let’s not forget the return of the biennial SAL.VE Cleaning and Waste Disposal Vehicles Expo, organized in collaboration with ANFIA, with the aim of showcasing the entire production range of equipment for industrial and special vehicles for waste collection and street sweeping needed for the development of urban spaces and their resilience. The value of Ecomondo 2025 lies in comparing and contrasting technology, designers, and administrations in order to identify concrete solutions, to reduce the gap between vision and implementation in smart cities.