The 2022 conference of the parties to the Basel Convention, Rotterdam Convention and Stockholm Convention was held in Geneva, Switzerland from June 6th to 17th. Taking the opportunity of the conference of the parties, the Basel Convention Regional Center for Asia and the Pacific (BCRC China) successfully held a side event on June 15th entitled "Establishing Zero-Waste City: from Concept to Practice". Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, and Xiao Xuezhi, Head of the Chinese delegation and Deputy Director of the Foreign Cooperation and Exchange Center of the Ministry of Ecology and the Environment, were invited to deliver speeches at the side event, which was presided over by Craig Bolikovac, Senior Adviser of the BCRC China. This side event, as a hybrid conference, attracted 208 representatives of all parties and experts.
Side event themed on "Zero-Waste Cities" in Geneva
Side event themed on "Zero-Waste Cities"—virtual venue
In the speech, Rolph Payet said, he highly appreciated China's leading role in the field of establishing Zero-Waste Cities and this side conference was held to promote the construction of Zero-Waste Cities. Moreover, he also expressed his wishes that more and more Zero-Waste Cities would be built in the world.
Rolph Payet was delivering a speech
Xiao Xuezhi said in his speech that the Chinese government paid great attention on the prevention and control of solid waste pollution and launched the pilot project of Zero-Waste City in 2019. During the 14th Five Year Plan period, China identified 113 cities at the prefecture level and above and 8 special areas to carry out the construction of Zero-Waste Cities; Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hebei and other provinces carried out the construction at the provincial level. China attached great importance to international exchanges and cooperation in the process of building Zero-Waste Cities. With the support of the Ministry of Ecology and the Environment, the BCRC China launched the project of "International Network of Zero-Waste Cities" to strengthen exchanges and cooperation among cities in the world. Xiao hoped that more cities would join the project and thus work together to promote the construction of the International Network of Zero-Waste Cities.
Xiao Xuezhi was delivering a speech
Li Jinhui, Executive Director of the BCRC China/Professor at the School of Environment, Tsinghua University, delivered a speech. He said that the fourth session of the United Nations Environment assembly, in its resolution 4/7 on the environmentally sound management of waste, appreciated the innovative solid waste management solutions such as zero-waste practices implemented by Member States, and invited Member States to support national and local zero-waste practices so as to reduce the environmental impact of waste. He also said, the Basel Convention aimed to reduce the generation of hazardous wastes and promote the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes and other wastes so as to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of waste pollution. The goal of the Basel Convention was consistent with the construction of Zero-Waste Cities. In response to the resolution of the United Nations Environment Conference and the construction of Zero-Waste Cities in China, the BCRC China launched the International Network of Zero-Waste Cities initiative, aspiring to work with more cities to jointly promote the construction of Zero-Waste Cities.
Li Jinhui was delivering a speech
Gabriela Amarante, Director of the Coordination Center for Training and Technology Transfer in Latin America and the Caribbean of the Basel Convention, said in his speech that many cities in Uruguay have spontaneously carried out the construction of Zero-Waste Cities, and the three provinces of Salto, Serolargo and Rivera have joined the International Network of Zero-Waste Cities. He also expressed his sincere gratitude to the BCRC China for providing a platform to promote the exchange of experience between Uruguay and China in the construction of Zero-Waste Cities.
Gabriela Amarante was delivering a speech
In the report session, Wang Ziyuan from Solid Waste and Chemicals Management Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, introduced the work process and remarkable achievements of the pilot construction of Zero-Waste Cities in China, and the promotion plan of Zero-Waste Cities during the 14th Five Year Plan period. Claire Zhou, Senior Assistant Director of the Environmental Policy Department of the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment of Singapore, introduced Singapore's Zero-Waste master plan and their circular economy management measures for the three prioritized wastes of food, packaging and electronic wastes. Shan Guijuan and Craig Bolikovac, Deputy Director and Senior Consultant respectively of the Environmental Technology Office of the BCRC China, jointly introduced the progress of the International Network of Zero-Waste Cities. Mahdi Sameni from Basel and Stockholm Conventions Regional Centre located in Iran (BCRC-SCRC Iran), introduced the Zero-Waste initiative carried out by Iran nationwide, and said that BCRC-SCRC Iran would cooperate with BCRC China to jointly build a Zero-Waste Kish Island.
This side conference received extensive attention from representatives of parties, publicized the progress and achievements of China's Zero-Waste City"construction, and further accelerated the process of building International Network of Zero-Waste Cities
Wang Ziyuan was making a report on "the Achievements and Supporting Measures of China's Zero-waste City Construction during the 14th Five Year Plan Period"
Claire Zhou was making a report on "Towards a Zero-Waste Country: Circular Economy Measures for Waste Management in Singapore"
Shan Gujuan was making a report on "Progress of the International Network of Zero-Waste Cities Initiative "
Mahdi Sameni was making a report on "Building a Zero-Waste City: Iran's Practice"
