Statement of the United Nations Secretary-general on behalf the International Day of Zero waste 2024.
Our planet is drowning under a torrent of trash.
Every year, humanity produces more than 2 billion tons of municipal solid waste. Rotting food, plastic bottles, chemical-laced electronics and much more is tossed away without regard for our water, land and air.
As trash decays, it spews planet-warming greenhouse gases into our atmosphere, poisons our water and soil, and inflicts illness, disease and even death among people around the world.
Overconsumption is killing us. Humanity needs an intervention.
Since last year, the Advisory Board on Zero Waste has been bringing partners together around this critical issue and what needs to be done to make zero waste a reality.
Businesses must rethink their products to minimize wasteful packaging and maximize longevity and lifecycle.
Consumers must think twice about the goods and products they purchase and recycle or reuse wherever possible.
Governments at all levels must build circular economies that address resource depletion and management and invest in modern waste-management programmes anchored in reuse, remanufacturing, recovery and waste prevention.
And the global community must stand as one and work towards achieving a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution.
On this Zero Waste Day, let’s pledge to end the destructive cycle of waste, once and for all.
United Nations Secretary-General.
Your Excellency, Sedat Önal, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Türkiye to the United Nations, Ms. Ligia Noronha, Head of UNEP New York Office, Ms. Mr. Michal Mlynár, Acting Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me begin by commending the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Türkiye, the United Nations Environment Programme, and UN-Habitat for co-organizing today’s event – marking the International Day of Zero Waste. We are all deeply appreciative of your ongoing efforts to promote zero-waste initiatives – contributing to advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. I think it more than appropriate to pay tribute to the distinguished First Lady of the Republic of Türkiye, Ms. Emine Erdoğan, the protagonist and initiator of the Zero Waste project in her own country. It was the astounding success of this that motivated the General Assembly to the adoption of a resolution tabled by the Republic of Türkiye – declaring 30 March as the International Day of Zero Waste.
Excellencies, The numbers and trends speak for themselves in describing the situation as nothing short of harrowing: 2.24 billion tons of municipal solid waste are generated annually, around 931 million tons of food is lost or wasted each year, up to 14 million tons of plastic waste enters aquatic ecosystems,
and food loss and waste accounts for up to 10 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions – significantly contributing to the climate crisis. Without urgent action, it is projected that annual municipal solid waste generation will hit 3.8 billion tons by 2050. Moreover – if we cling to the business-as-usual mentality – we will have more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050.
Excellencies, Today – as we commemorate this important day – we urgently need to pause and rethink the unsustainable linear development model of “take, make and dispose” we have been so actively pursuing. It is high time we replace that model with sustainable practices of production and consumption to minimize our ecological footprint – including adopting a circular approach that promotes a resource efficiency model of reduce, reuse and recycle.
To achieve this, we must shift our perspective and accelerate our efforts to develop and implement zero-waste initiatives to foster the environmentally sound management of waste; the minimization of waste; and – where feasible – the total prevention of waste. Such a societal shift should not be a burden. Rather, it should be seen as an opportunity not only to mitigate environmental harm but also to foster innovation, create green jobs, and promote social inclusion. It should also be viewed as an opportunity to invest in sustainable infrastructure, prioritize eco-friendly technologies, and empower communities to become true stewards of their own environment. Allow me to also reiterate the commitments made by the world leaders in the 2023 SDG Summit political declaration – which acknowledged the serious threats posed by plastic, air, and chemical pollution, and expressed firm support for an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. I am also deeply grateful to share this moment with a youth representative. The youth are the change-makers. Their perspectives and actions are absolutely critical in our efforts to reach zero waste – and they deserve a say on such matters that have a life-changing impact on their future.
Meeting our zero waste objectives and targets requires a comprehensive multi-stakeholders approach, at all levels – from grassroots initiatives to national policies, from corporate boardrooms to international fora. Our approach must also square the circle to encompass policy alignment, knowledge sharing, capacity-building, resource mobilization, and technology transfer. Importantly – and in the true spirit of leaving no one behind – our commitment and indeed our transition to Zero Waste must be beneficial to all, especially countries in special situations.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Let me close by reiterating that our commemoration today is rooted in a robust commitment to pursue and attain sustainability within the framework of the 2030 Agenda – through, among other things, converting to sustainable patterns of production and consumption. To this end, sustainability remains one of the core priorities of my Presidency – the full manifestation of which will be rolled out during the inaugural Sustainability Week I will be convening from 15 to 19 April. I envision that this Week of back-to-back high-level engagements will spark in-depth discussions on transport, tourism, energy, infrastructure, and debt sustainability and socio-economic equality – propelling substantial progress in these key sectors of the economy.
I further expect that Zero Waste initiatives – with their cross-cutting relevance across these sectors – will feature prominently in the discussions. Furthermore, it is my sincere hope that the harvest from this Week will both inform the deliberations of the Summit of the Future and accelerate momentum towards attaining all the SDGs. The journey towards Zero Waste does not by any means involve a simple unplanned destination – but rather, a continuous process of learning, adaptation and innovation. As the President of the General Assembly, I will play my part – and I call upon us all to harness the power of collective action and solidarity to turn the tide on waste.
I wish you all a fruitful discussion.
I thank you.
H.E Mr. Dennis Francis; United Nations General Assembly President.
EVENTS: International Day of Zero Waste 2024 - To celebrate the second annual International Day of Zero Waste, offices and partners from around the world are invited to organize activities and events, including creative exhibits, panel discussions, social media campaigns, training sessions and waste collection drives.
On March 26th, 2024; The UNEP, UN-Habitat and partners will organize a webinar entitled "Zero Waste Futures" | Online | 10–11:30 a.m. ET, 4–5:30 p.m. CET, 6–7:30 p.m. EAT..The UNEP International Environment Technology Centre, the Caribbean Sub-Regional Office (CSRO) and the Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP (CYMG) will co-organize this online event targeting stakeholders across regions and oceans, especially youth and experts to promote the global shift towards zero waste. Register to participate.
South-East Europe Pollution Platform | Vienna & online | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CET (26 March); 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (27 March). The conference aims to facilitate and foster discussions on current and innovative strategies, possibilities, policies and practices that promote waste prevention, reduction, recycling, and circular economy principles to create a cleaner and healthier environment in the Western Balkan economies. Additionally, it will actively encourage collaboration amongst different actors and sectors, aiming to promote sustainable practices and the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies. Learn more and register.
On March 27th, 2024 - the United nations observance of the CR-12, starting at 10–11:30 a.m. ET will be held in United Nations Headquarters, New York. Member States and stakeholders are invited to share initiatives promoting zero waste at various levels to reduce waste generation and enhance responsible waste management.
UNEP/UN-Habitat observance "Underscore the critical importance of collective action in driving forward zero-waste initiatives."| CR-4, United Nations Office at Nairobi | 3–4:30 p.m. EAT. The UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste will announce outstanding zero-waste practices during the event, which is co-organized with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Türkiye. Tune in.
UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 launch | Online | 8:30–9:30 a.m. EDT, 1:30–2:30 p.m. CET, 3:30–4:30 p.m. EAT. The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 authors, government representatives, and food waste and loss experts share their expertise through discussions of the report’s key findings. Tune in.
The Geneva Environment Network; On March “30th; online | 2–3:30 p.m. CET | 2–3:30 p.m. CET for the occasion of the second observation of the International Day of Zero Waste, will held a webinar and in person-event will align with the objectives of raising awareness of national, sub-national, regional and local zero-waste initiatives and their contributions to advance the beat waste pollution agenda. This event will highlight the role of Geneva as a major global hub for the governance of hazardous substances and home to several international organizations and multilateral environmental agreements aiming at reaching the zero-waste goal, and will celebrate the steps taken by actors to move forward the zero-waste agenda. Register to participate to the event!
On March 30th, the GAIA will held a panel discussion entitled ‘‘The Year of Zero Waste: From Momentum to Action’’ | Online | 9 a.m. CET, 11 a.m. EAT, 1:30 p.m. IST, 9 p.m. NZDT. Policymakers, grassroots community leaders, climate and waste finance experts, and zero-waste implementers' discuss how to escalate progress on zero waste worldwide based on current trends, obstacles and proven strategies. Register.
On March 30th, a webinar entitled ‘‘Zero-waste City Construction: A sustainable action to beat waste pollution.’’ will be held Online | 11 p.m. EET, 12 p.m. EAT, 5 p.m. CST.City representatives from Australia, Brazil, China, Lebanon and New Zealand showcase practices of zero-waste initiatives in different regions. Register.
Get involved in the 2024 Zero Waste Month workshops, conferences and awareness campaign!
Week of 1 April - Global Zero Waste: Día Mundial Basura Cero | Online | 3 April; 9 a.m. COT, 3 p.m. CET: Global Zero Waste will host keynote speeches and share success stories and presentations of new challenges. Learn more.
Week of 11 March - Zero Waste Europe: Impactful policies | Online; The second week of Zero Waste Europe's month-long International Zero Waste Day campaign focuses on impactful policies. Learn more.
Northern California Recycling Association: Recycling Update | California, United States | 11 March; 8 a.m. PDT; NCRA's Recycling Update features 25 experts on the spectrum of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot, as well as networking opportunities and plenty of ideas. Learn more.
Week of 4 March - Zero Waste Europe: Prevention first | Online. The First Week of Zero Waste Europe's month-long International Zero Waste Day campaign focuses on prevention first. Learn more.
Explore the list of upcoming worldwide activities, conferences and workshops and the events maps!
PUBLICATIONS: Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 - In response to Resolution 2/7 from the second session (UNEP/EA.2/RES.7) of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) and reaffirmed in Resolution 4/7 from its fourth session (UNEP/EA.4/RES.7). Jointly published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), the Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 report provides an update on global waste generation and the cost of waste and its management. Municipal solid waste generation is predicted to grow from 2.3 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050. Only 62 percent of this waste is managed in controlled facilities. Some 2.7 billion people lack access to solid waste collection. Download the report.
STATEMENTS: Read the message of the executive-secretary of the UNEP for the International Day of Zero Waste 2024; March 30th.
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