More than 9,000 participants and 200 exhibitors are expected at STEP by Pollutec, a new trade show dedicated to the ecological transition, taking place at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles on 1 and 2 December 2026. Organised by event platform RX France, the exhibition aims to bring together stakeholders working on industrial decarbonisation and the circular economy, from start-ups and engineering firms to banks, insurers and trade associations.
Against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, volatile supply chains and growing demand for energy and raw materials, the event will focus on how environmental solutions can strengthen industrial competitiveness, resource security and economic resilience.
“STEP aims to show concretely that moving towards decarbonisation and the circular economy is beneficial for industrial economic performance and territorial resilience. It is definitely a change of business model and we want to make it easier,” said trade show director Anne-Manuèle Hébert.
From strategic resources to industrial resilience
The opening day, Tuesday 1 December, will focus on geopolitics and strategic resource management, European resilience, and water conservation and circularity. The programme will examine regulatory developments and available support, alongside the implications of industrial electrification, energy sovereignty and financing the transition.
Janez Potočnik, Co-President of the United Nations Environment Programme’s International Resource Panel and a former European Commissioner for the Environment, is among the speakers. Mathieu Lefèvre, France’s Minister Delegate for Ecological Transition, is also scheduled to address the opening session on Tuesday morning.
Water will be another central theme, with a session examining whether industrial systems can operate in a closed loop. Reducing consumption, reusing resources and recovering materials are increasingly relevant to businesses seeking to reduce their exposure to supply disruptions and environmental pressures.
For Hébert, ecological transformation is no longer simply a constraint on business. As she explained in a recent interview with Materia Rinnovabile, climate change, dependence on energy and raw materials, and the need for industrial sovereignty and competitiveness have created a new business landscape in which the transition can become a strategic lever.
Circularity in practice
On Wednesday 2 December, the programme will turn to international case studies, including industrial and territorial ecology, heavy industry decarbonisation and ways to scale up recycling in sectors such as textiles and photovoltaic panels. Carbon capture and storage for hard-to-abate industries will also feature in the discussions.
Examples of industrial symbiosis will illustrate how companies can share resources and reduce waste. In Kalundborg, Denmark, around a dozen companies and the municipality cooperate to exchange energy and water. In Norway, Mo Industrial Park recovers energy from waste to supply a local district heating network. Such models demonstrate how cooperation between businesses and local authorities can support more efficient resource use.
The exhibition will also feature two dedicated areas: a Startups & Entrepreneurs village and a recycling village organised with the French recycling federation Federrec. A Biomim’Galerie, organised with NewCorp Conseil, will showcase innovations inspired by natural processes to address industrial challenges.
Connecting businesses and finance
STEP will host more than 200 professional exhibitors, spanning technology providers, consultants, engineers, financial institutions, public bodies and training organisations. An Enterprise Europe Network programme will facilitate meetings between clusters and companies through three sessions focused on innovation, transformation and connections between systems.
Delegations of buyers and decision-makers from Germany, Belgium, Canada and the United Kingdom are also expected to attend. By combining technical solutions, international case studies and business networking, STEP by Pollutec aims to demonstrate how decarbonisation and circularity can become practical tools for industrial performance, resilience and European competitiveness.
Cover: Envato image