Nairobi, 12 March 2025 – The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has partnered with the Zero Waste Foundation to drive forward sustainable waste management and environmental protection. This collaboration, part of UNEP’s “Early Warning and Global Environmental Monitoring Services” project, will integrate cutting-edge geospatial data, stakeholder engagement, and community-driven initiatives to address the pressing challenges of triple planetary crisis: the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature, land and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.
At the heart of this initiative is the establishment of a Zero Waste Knowledge Hub, aimed at contributing to the Istanbul Environment Centre, a Zero Waste Foundation undertaking. The Zero Waste Knowledge Hub will work in conjunction with the One UN Geospatial Situation Room, an open data platform of the 42 UN Agencies of the UN Geospatial Network established by the UN Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management. The Hub will be integrated in the World Environment Situation Room, UNEP´s Data, Information and Knowledge platform. The Zero Waste Knowledge Hub will provide real-time, high-quality geospatial data to policymakers, urban planners, and environmental experts, enabling evidence-based decision-making to reduce waste and support sustainable urban development. The Hub will integrate georeferenced, remote-sensing and Earth observation data to support progress on the environmental dimensions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“Timely and high-quality data are critical for driving sustainability. Through these platforms, we will ensure that geospatial data becomes a powerful tool in tackling environmental challenges,” said Alexandre Caldas, Chief of Early Warning and Data Analytics Branch at UNEP. “By working with the Zero Waste Foundation, we are strengthening our capacity to anticipate environmental risks and accelerate the transition to a circular economy.”
The partnership will also focus on engaging communities through stakeholder consultations, youth-led initiatives, and developing an online educational platform dedicated to zero-waste principles. The Zero Waste Knowledge Hub will serve as a central repository for best practices, success stories, and case studies, promoting knowledge-sharing and capacity-building on a global scale.
“Zero waste is not just a goal – it is a movement for systemic change,” said Samed Agirbas, President of the Zero Waste Foundation. “By joining forces with UNEP, we are bringing together data, education, and community action to transform waste management worldwide.”
As part of the collaboration, the initiative will support cities in implementing zero waste-friendly policies. Pilot projects will be developed to showcase scalable solutions, with discussions underway to establish a zero-waste funding facility to drive investments in sustainable waste initiatives.
This partnership aligns with UNEP’s mission to accelerate progress towards a healthier planet and a more resilient future. By integrating geospatial intelligence, digital solutions and grassroots engagement, UNEP and the Zero Waste Foundation aim to set a new standard for how waste can be managed, reduced, and ultimately eliminated.
International Day of Zero Waste, observed on 30 March 2024, was established through UN General Assembly Resolution 77/161 and is jointly facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). This day aims to raise awareness about the critical role of waste management and responsible consumption and production in achieving sustainable development. It calls on individuals and organizations to adopt a life-cycle approach, focusing on reducing resource use and environmental emissions at every stage of a product's life cycle.
