Maria Hughes

Maria Hughes is an Associate Programme Management Officer at the UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. In her work, she focuses on accelerating circularity and sustainable consumption and production in collaboration with regional and global partners. Before joining UNEP, Maria gained experience in accelerating the circular economy on a global level through the World Circular Economy Forum and by working with a network of stakeholders from the public and private sectors. Maria has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Turku, Finland.

Arnold Tukker

Arnold Tukker is a Professor of Industrial Ecology and the Scientific Director of the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Leiden University. He also serves as a senior researcher at TNO, a large Dutch not-for-profit research organization. Arnold has set up prominent EU projects in the field of sustainable product design (SusProNet) and sustainable consumption and production (SCORE!) and was a core member of the Dutch Knowledge Network on Sustainable System Innovations.

Solid Waste Management - Learnings from the Netherlands

The ADB’s Solid Waste Management Community of Practice facilitated a knowledge-sharing session on 21 May. The session aimed to highlight and discuss best practices and lessons learned from the Netherlands’ experience on solid waste management.

The session featured its keynote speaker, Prof. Arnold Tukker from the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Leiden University.

Aidana Tleuken

Aidana Tleuken, an accomplished MSc graduate in Structural Engineering, currently serves as an early-stage researcher at Nazarbayev University, where she specializes in the fields of Civil Engineering and Circular Economy. With a strong foundation in structural engineering and a keen interest in sustainability, Aidana is committed to driving innovation in sustainable construction practices and resource efficiency. Her unique approach combines computational sociology research methods with valuable industrial experience, allowing her to achieve impactful intersectoral outcomes.

Rand Askar

Rand Askar is a PhD candidate at the University of Minho, focusing on sustainable construction and rehabilitation. Her research emphasizes building adaptability and circular economy principles, aiming to design buildings for flexibility and durability. Her significant contributions include developing frameworks for circularity in the construction sector, enhancing resource efficiency and sustainability.

Luis Braganca

Luís Bragança, PhD, is a Civil Engineering Professor at the University of Minho, Portugal, Director of the Sustainable Built Environment program and the Energy and Sustainable Construction Lab. With expertise in Sustainability, Rational Energy Use and Building Acoustics, he contributes to standardization in Sustainable Construction. Coordinating international and national research projects, he has authored 450+ publications. Former iiSBE President (2011-2021), his work focuses on advancing sustainable technologies and practices in the built environment.