The UN Secretary-General's Advisory Committee on Zero Waste unveiled the first list of its global "20 Cities Toward Zero Waste" initiative on March 27. Three Chinese cities, Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, Sanya in Hainan Province and Suzhou in Jiangsu Province, have made the list. Other cities recognized include Kuala Lumpur and George Town in Malaysia, Accra in Ghana and Bologna, Italy.
"Zero waste" does not require absolutely no waste, but calls to minimize landfills and incineration through systematic reforms, advancing waste reduction, reuse and recycling, and establishing a closed-loop resource system.
Released ahead of International Zero Waste Day on March 30, the first list recognizes cities at the forefront of waste reduction, the circular economy and sustainable urban development. The committee noted that Hangzhou applies digital technologies to waste sorting and resource recycling and promotes a green lifestyle with the "zero waste" concept, Sanya enforces plastic bans and integrates zero-waste practices into solid waste management to tackle tourism-related ecological pressures, and Suzhou has built a full-coverage urban-rural waste collection and treatment system.
The inclusion reflects global recognition of China's efforts in building zero-waste cities and provides replicable models for green and low-carbon urban development worldwide.
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