Noting that modern economic and social development is facing tremendous pressure from the continued depletion of resources. At the same time, resources are developed in a disorderly manner and discarded without being fully utilized. Large amounts of solid waste storage or landfills occupy scarce land resources and pose environmental risks.
Aware that the transition to a sustainable, low carbon, resource efficient and competitive economy has become the top priority of many national governments and regional groupings,
Recalling our commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular for achieving SDG8, SDG11, SDG12 and SDG13,
Recognizing the importance of achieving the environmentally sound management of all wastes throughout their life cycle, and significantly reducing their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment,
Acknowledging that a zero waste strategy provides theoretical and practical principles for improving global resource efficiency through sustainable consumption and production, and decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation,
Recalling also that the fourth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, in its resolution 4/7, invites Member States, taking into consideration their differing national circumstances, and in cooperation with relevant national, regional and international organizations, to support innovative waste management initiatives, such as national and local “zero waste” initiatives, in some countries to minimize waste and develop adequate infrastructure and other facilities for waste management,
Mindful of the overarching objective of Basel Convention to protect human health and the environment against adverse effects which may result from the generation and management of hazardous wastes and other wastes, and the core principles of Basel Convention, which include the reduction of hazardous waste generation and promotion of the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes; the restriction of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes; and a regulatory system applying to cases where transboundary movements are permissible,
Taking into account that the core functions of Basel Convention Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific are training, technology transfer, information, consulting, and awareness raising, such as collecting new or proven environmentally sound technologies and expertise related to the environmentally sound management and minimization of hazardous wastes and other wastes, and encouraging best practices and methodologies for the environmentally sound management and minimization of hazardous wastes and other wastes.
Declare that they will undertake:
1. To build a zero-waste city network to strengthen the cooperation among cities for communicating experiences, gaining consensus and promoting cooperation between stakeholders,
2. To promote the implementation of local and regional policies to assist multi-stakeholder collaboration and reduce the remaining residues that go to landfills, incinerators and the environment,
3. To encourage industry to maintain clear accounting and reporting systems for resource utilization and waste management, and to inform workers, customers and the community about life cycle environmental impacts of their production, products or services.
4. To increase accessibility, awareness, scale and inclusivity of reduction, reutilization and recycling programmes and policies for communities, investing in city-wide communication and engagement efforts, offering resources in multiple languages,
5. (For cities which have implemented zero waste initiatives) to establish a framework to take lead roles to achieve the above functions and contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and
6. To request the Executive Director of the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Asia and Pacific to consult with relevant city governments to implement the declaration with available resources.
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