On October 10, 2025, the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific (hereinafter referred to as "BCRC China") jointly organized an online cooperation meeting with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (hereinafter referred to as "UN-Habitat") and the United Nations Environment Programme (hereinafter referred to as "UNEP") to discuss future cooperation on the theme of "Zero-waste City" construction. The meeting aimed to deepen collaboration among all parties in the field of solid waste management and jointly advance the global zero-waste agenda.
Ms. Cecilia Andersson, Head of the Solid Waste Management Team and Head of the Waste Wise Network at UN-Habitat, Ms. Shiho Jinno and Mr. Lewis Lugalia Mugonyi from UN-Habitat, Mr.Takehiro Nakamura, Director of the UNEP International Environmental Technology Centre（IETC,UNEP）, and Ms. Flavia Biri from the Secretariat of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Zero Waste attended the meeting. Also present from BCRC China were Ms. Zhao Nana, Assistant Director; Mr. Dong Qingyin, Director of the Regional Waste Management Branch; and Ms. Shan Guijuan, Deputy Directors of the Regional Waste Management Branch and Ms. Zhou Linyan.
The meeting was chaired by Dong Qingyin, Associate Researcher from BCRC China. Ms. Cecilia Andersson from UN-Habitat introduced the work related to solid waste management carried out by the Waste Wise Network and the African Clean Cities Platform (ACCP). Shan Guijuan, Associate Researcher from BCRC China presented the work and key achievements of BCRC China in the field of solid waste and chemicals, with a focus on the development of the "International Zero-waste City Network". Mr. Dong Qingyin briefly shared the main content of China’s "Zero-waste City" construction, the key focuses of typical cities in their construction, and the technical support work provided by BCRC China for China’s "Zero-waste City" construction at the national, provincial and municipal levels.
Mr. Takehiro Nakamura, Director of IETC, UNEP, commended the achievements of "Zero-waste City" construction observed during his visit to Hangzhou and Tianjin in July this year. He pointed out that experience exchange between cities and among city networks is essential, and the IETC is willing to work with UN-Habitat and BCRC China to promote international cooperation in the field of "Zero-waste City" construction. In concluding remarks, Zhao Nana, Researcher expressed the hope that the three parties would further strengthen cooperation to jointly advance the global zero-waste agenda.
Figure 1. Aim and Scope of the "International Zero-waste City Network"
Figure 2. Group Photo of Meeting Participants Online
About the Roles of UNEP and UN-Habitat in Advancing the Global Zero Waste Agenda
In December 2022, the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/77/161 titled "Promoting zero-waste initiatives to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ", which decided to "set up the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Zero Waste to to promote local and national zero-waste initiatives , building on the work of existing relevant regional and global platforms, as well as the work of the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme within their respective mandates, including by disseminating best practices and success stories, within their respective mandates".
About the "International Zero-waste City Network"
In 2022, BCRC China officially launched the "International Zero-waste City Network" (hereinafter referred to as the "Network"), aiming to provide a platform for exchange between cities and countries, advance the international zero-waste agenda, and promote cooperation among stakeholders. As of September 2025, the Network has 68 members from 22 countries, including 58 members, 2 observers, and 8 Basel Convention Regional and Coordinating Centres. The members across regions is as follows: 51 in Asia, 4 in Latin America and the Caribbean, 3 in Europe, 1 in Africa, and 1 in Oceania.
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