Zero waste

By Sonia G. Astudillo

When we talk about climate action, organic waste doesn’t always make the headlines. Yet it’s one of the fastest ways to cut methane — a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. Thanks to support from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), GAIA and its partners are showing how community-led zero waste solutions can deliver big wins for the climate, for people, and for local economies.


From Households to Global Climate Talks


In Bandung, Indonesia, households are separating food scraps, feeding them into composting and Black Soldier Fly (BSF) systems. By early 2026, more than 1,600 households were participating, processing over 1,000 kilograms of organic waste per day. The maggots produced are already being used as animal feed, linking waste management directly to food security.

In Valparaíso, Chile, waste picker cooperatives are building composting programs and training initiatives, despite delays in government permitting. Their persistence underscores the importance of grassroots leadership in shaping sustainable systems.

In Durban, South Africa, market-based composting pilots are underway. Initial audits show potential diversion of 8,400 tonnes of organic waste per year, cutting nearly 2,000 tonnes of methane emissions.

These local stories connect to the global stage. GAIA’s Zero Waste Academy is now live, offering training and resources worldwide. At COP events, GAIA delegates have amplified waste methane solutions, achieving 211 million audience reach via traditional media and doubling social media engagement compared to previous years.

Waste Pickers at the Center

A defining feature of this project is justice and inclusion. Waste pickers and local communities — often marginalized and under-recognized — are placed at the heart of solutions. Training, technical support, and advocacy have helped shift perceptions: waste pickers are not just informal workers, but frontline climate actors. Local communities are not just residents, they are actors of change and engagement.

Gender equity is also emphasized, recognizing the vital role of women waste pickers and addressing barriers to income, safety, and leadership.

Publications Driving Change


GAIA has produced a suite of publications to strengthen knowledge, visibility, and policy impact:

  • Technical and policy publications on organic waste, landfill methane emissions, and  global warming impacts of zero waste, waste-to-energy incineration, and business-as-usual waste management systems that aim to support policymakers in ensuring effective solutions to waste methane reduction. 

Policy Shifts and Global Impact


The initiative has influenced both policy and implementation at multiple levels:

  • Technical assistance and policy advocacy have fostered vital linkages between organic waste management, local food production, and stunting reduction, a model now being institutionalized within Bandung’s 2027 city planning and budgeting framework to ensure long-term government ownership through the collaboration of the Regional Development Planning, Research and Innovation Agency, Food Security and Agriculture Agency, Population and Family Planning Agency, and Environmental Agency.
  • Strategic efforts have unlocked cross-sectoral public funding to support composting, food production, and distribution.
  • Contributions to the recently enacted Bandung Mayor Regulation 3/2026 on Integrated Urban Farming to connect organic waste management and local food production.
  • The implementation of household Black Soldier Fly (BSF) systems as part of the city’s organic waste treatment showcases a complementing decentralized composting system in the city.
  • Pushing implementation of source-separated organic waste collection and home composting, through Bandung Mayor’s Instruction 001-DLH/2026 on Waste Segregation Officer program will increase the amount of source-separated organic waste for scaling up and replication process.
  • Regional forums in Latin America have strengthened collaboration among waste picker groups, other community-led organic management initiatives, and policymakers. It provided a learning space to share best practices on organic waste management and methane abatement, leading to a more regional impact.  
  • Globally, GAIA’s NDC Tracker shows progress in several countries: significant NDC improvements compared to the previous NDC in Brazil and Mexico, and a growing focus on environmental justice and just transition in Bangladesh, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Nigeria. Though gaps remain in waste picker inclusion and resistance to waste-to-energy schemes.
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A Path Forward

The outcomes of this CCAC-supported initiative prove that organic waste management is more than a technical fix — it’s a powerful entry point for climate action, social equity, and green job creation.

From compost pits in Bandung to market composting in Durban, these solutions are already being implemented, refined, and scaled. They show that a just transition in the waste sector is possible — one that cuts methane, creates livelihoods, and builds resilient communities.

Insights from GAIA’s International Day of Zero Waste Roundtables

On the International Day of Zero Waste, the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) hosted two powerful virtual roundtables bringing together grassroots leaders, municipal officials, and global experts. Centered on the theme of “rebuilding bridges: from food waste to food sovereignty,” these sessions illuminated the critical, often overlooked connection between municipal solid waste, agricultural practices, and the climate crisis.

These bridges matter as they not only prevent organic waste from disposal through methods such as composting, animal feed, processing through black soldier fly, but they also return nutrients to the soil and provide inputs to food production systems. The connections between zero waste practices -which by nature are community-based and justice-centered- and agroecological systems -that build food sovereignty so communities define their own food systems, build systemic change putting people at the center of solutions.

Across both spaces, a singular, urgent message emerged: to address climate change and build resilient communities, we must stop disposing food waste in landfills and return it back to the soil through community-led practices.

The Core Problem: Misdirected Climate Finance

Organic waste is the third-largest source of global anthropogenic methane emissions, while agriculture is the second. Despite this, climate finance is drastically misallocated.

As GAIA’s Cecilia Allen, Director of the Global Zero Waste Cities program, highlighted during the second session:

“Actually 94% of methane finance globally is going to waste-to-energy incineration. Only 1% is going to organics management.”

Instead of investing in polluting technologies that only benefit a few, both webinars emphasized the need to redirect capital toward zero-waste and agroecological models that work with nature, rather than against it.

Key Learnings and Success Stories

The discussions proved that community-led, zero-waste solutions are not just theoretical—they are already thriving worldwide:

  • Agroecology isn’t just a science; it’s a movement that connects soil health to community well-being. In Kerala, India, an urban agriculture program led by Thanal successfully linked household composting directly with local food production, mitigating emissions by reducing the need to transport food from outside the city.
  • Zero Waste models are powerful drivers of social inclusion and local economic resilience. In Brazil, for example, 70% of workers in waste picker cooperatives are women, many in leadership positions, proving that environmental justice and gender equity go hand-in-hand.
  • Myth-Busting Source Separation: The city of Accra, Ghana, successfully reduced its waste sector greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 300,000 tons in a 5 years period. Furthermore, their organic waste management programs proved that, with powerful campaigns, all communities respond positively to source separation. 
  • Local Innovation Saves Money: The municipality of Guimarães, Portugal, diverted nearly 19,500 tons of bio-waste from landfills in 3.5 years, saving the city half a million euros. They also pioneered the “Echobox” initiative, providing containers to restaurants to dramatically reduce food leftovers.

Voices from the Roundtables

The passion and expertise of our speakers framed the profound ethical and practical dimensions of this work:

  • “There is no agricultural production if there are no soils that are well-nourished that have a significant amount of organic matter… The waste of food is an offense to our souls, to human ethics, because many, many people… are going to go to bed sometimes without having the relevant or the necessary food.” — Javier Souza, Pesticide Action Network Latin America
  • “…this type of synergy between those movements is a way of rethinking and rebuilding the relations that we have with food and the organic waste by reducing food waste and recycling the organics…” — Lais Ferreira Santos, Instituto Pólis, Brazil
  • “We have the solutions, but the question is how do we scale them up.” — Amma Asiedu, GAIA Africa
  • “As a scholar of sustainability science more broadly, I would say agroecological systems promote resilience because you have a more diversified array of products which are going to be produced from them.” — Saleem Ali, UN ZW Advisory Board
  • “Local projects demonstrate what is possible in practice… They really demonstrate that interconnectedness between the food, the environment, energy, … linking it to the economic systems and sort of plowing it back into the communities” —  Cecilia Andersson, UN Habitat

Main Conclusions and Next Steps

To successfully scale these systems globally, the panelists from both sessions identified clear, strategic steps:

  1. Mandate Source Separation: Treating waste as a resource is impossible without source separation. Municipalities must make this a foundational public policy.
  2. Redirect Funds: Governments must shift financial investments away from incineration and heavily subsidize zero waste solutions, community composting, and fair-wage agricultural labor.
  3. Support the Frontlines: Waste pickers, grassroots groups, and women’s cooperatives must be formally integrated into city waste plans, guaranteeing them job security, health insurance, and a voice in policy creation.
  4. Connecting organic waste with agroecology and implementing projects through an interconnected lens is a key approach that not only reduces GHG emissions but also creates jobs, strengthens community and soil health, and enhances urban well-being. 

By building bridges between local governments, waste pickers, and the agricultural sector, we can shift away from a culture of disposal and move firmly toward food sovereignty.

Check the webinar recording here: 

Roundtable Session 1

👉Ama Acheampomaa Asiedu, GAIA Africa
👉Jayakumar C, Thanal
👉Francisco Ferreira, Municipality of Guimarães
👉Cecilia Andersson, UN-Habitat
👉Oliver Oliveros, Agroecology Coalition

Roundtable Session 2➡️Cecilia Allen, GAIA
➡️Javier Souza, Pesticide Action Network International Latin America
➡️Lais Ferreira, Instituto Polis
➡️Saleem Ali, UN International Resource Panel Member
➡️Victor Kotey, Waste Management Department of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly

Brussels, Belgium – 30 March 2026 – On the occasion of International Zero Waste Day, the European network Zero Waste Europe is spotlighting how communities in Montenegro are turning food waste into a valuable resource through the #ForkToFarm project. Over the last two years, Montenegrin municipalities have clearly demonstrated how decentralized bio-waste management can help reduce methane emissions, improve soil health, and support local food systems.

Across Europe, research suggests 74% of food waste generated still ends up in landfill or incineration. For a lot of European countries, landfill remains the predominant disposal methods and organic waste ending up here will decompose and release methane – a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term. By separating food and garden waste, and then composting it locally, communities can significantly cut emissions while returning valuable nutrients to the soil.

The #ForkToFarmproject, implemented by Zero Waste Montenegro in municipalities including Danilovgrad, Tuzi, Kotor and Podgorica, promotes practical solutions such as household composting, community composting sites, and awareness campaigns encouraging residents to separate organic waste at source. Through trainings and community engagement, residents learn how to transform food scraps and garden waste into compost that can be used in gardens, farms, and green spaces.

“Organic waste is one of the biggest untapped opportunities to reduce emissions in the waste sector,” said Kristina Joksimovic from Zero Waste Montenegro. “By keeping food waste out of landfills and turning it into compost, for relatively low costs, communities can take immediate climate action while supporting healthier soils and more resilient food systems. However, to unlock this potential at scale, we need significantly more public investment in organic waste management and food waste prevention. This must become a clear priority within climate and waste policies and infrastructure investments.”

The project shows that decentralized solutions can work effectively even in municipalities with limited waste management infrastructure. Participating households have reported reductions in mixed waste, while communities benefit from locally produced compost that can improve soil quality and reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers.

These initiatives also support broader European efforts to strengthen bio-waste collection and reduce the environmental impact of waste management. By empowering local communities and municipalities to manage organic waste more sustainably, the project demonstrates a scalable model that can be replicated across Europe.

“The UN Zero Waste Day reminds us that preventing waste is one of the most effective climate solutions available today,” Jack McQuibban, Head of Local Zero Waste Implementation at Zero Waste Europe,  added. “The experiences from Montenegro show that with the right support, communities can transform food waste into a resource and move closer to a zero waste future.”

By documenting these experiences, the #ForkToFarm case study aims to inspire municipalities and organisations across Europe to adopt decentralized bio-waste systems that keep organic materials in circulation and out of landfills.

UN gives global recognition to community-based zero waste systems

The theme for this year’s UN Day of Zero Waste— food waste– could not be more timely. Approximately 1.05 to 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted or lost globally each year, amounting to roughly one-third of all food produced for human consumption. Not only is the amount of wasted food staggering, but it also worsens the climate crisis: the waste sector is the third largest source of human-caused methane emissions–  a short-lived greenhouse gas that traps 82.5 times as much heat as CO2 over a 20-year timespan.

The good news is municipalities across the world have implemented simple, affordable solutions to the food waste crisis, with remarkable results. By simply preventing good food from being thrown away and composting the rest, cities have protected public health, created more and better jobs, and boosted both waste diversion and resilient food systems.  

Today in honor of the United Nations Day of Zero Waste,  the United Nations Environment Program and UN-Habitat have recognized five of our members’ zero waste cities projects in the Global South in their selection of 20 Cities Towards Zero Waste, elevating these programs as a blueprint for other cities around the world to follow. 

So what do these five zero waste programs have in common that made them a globally recognized model? In short– a dedication to social and environmental justice.

Thiruvananthapuram, India: Building the “Green Army”

Varkala, a municipality within Thiruvananthapuram (or Trivandrum), the capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala, has been working with the guidance and support of GAIA member Thanal to build out zero waste systems for the past several years. The beauty of its organic waste program is that it employs a range of decentralized technologies that make organic waste management accessible on a household level. This includes kitchen composting bins, pipe composting units, biogas plants, aerobic bins, and community resource recovery centers that together address 72% of the city’s municipal solid waste. The program achieved compliance rates for source separation of 80% in the residential sector and 88% in the commercial sector within just five years, nearly half which is organic waste.

But the secret to Varkala’s success is two-fold: community engagement, and waste picker empowerment. Led by Thanal, the city engages residents through the “Green Army,” a campaign platform educating schoolchildren and neighborhoods on segregation and composting. Thanal also runs a Zero Waste Centre that functions as a resource recovery and training hub, empowering women through sustainable employment and fostering innovation in waste processing near the source. Women-led self-help groups participate actively in waste collection and composting, promoting social inclusion and providing employment opportunities within marginalized communities.

Read the case study

Accra, Ghana: A Masterclass in Community Engagement

Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO), in Ghana, launched campus eco-clubs. ©GAYO

Accra deserves recognition for pioneering inclusive and effective waste management solutions through its partnership with the Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO), empowering informal workers, reducing landfill dependence, and promoting circular economy approaches in a rapidly urbanizing African city. Accra has made significant strides in diverting waste from landfills and is working to go beyond through engaging with the LOW-M Initiative, which supports cities to reduce waste methane emissions and unlock implementation by mobilising partner support. GAYO’s work on methane reduction with organic waste treatment project was named winner of the world’s most prestigious environmental prize in the clean air category, the Earthshot Prize, in 2024. 

The city raises awareness through community campaigns, school engagement, educational workshops, and partnerships that promote source separation and composting. GAYO’s model centers marginalized groups by formally integrating over 600 informal waste workers, including many women and youth, providing training, fair employment, health and safety advocacy, and opportunities to participate as community educators. 

Read the blog

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Collaboration is Key 

(c) Nipe Fagio

Dar Es Salaam has had incredible success in its zero waste program, collecting 1.74 tonnes of waste daily from 4.500 households (95%), achieving virtually 100% of organic waste diversion from disposal, equivalent to a reduction of 16.4 tonnes of methane emissions per year. GAIA member Nipe Fagio has been supporting the Tanzanian government every step of the way, engaging residents on zero waste through community-based campaigns involving door-to-door visits, and community surveys that motivate behavioral change and proper waste management. 

This community-driven model integrates waste picker cooperatives– supporting the newly launched Tanzania Waste Pickers Association (TAWAPA). This includes formal training programs and support, equipment, skills development, and leadership training that improve their working conditions. The Dar es Salaam model has taken off:  interest generated by word-of-mouth has led to expansion within the city and then to other jurisdictions the country, including Zanzibar, Arusha and Tanga.  There is great interest across Africa for their Zero Waste Academies, which provided microgrants for zero waste implementation in 9 African countries.  

Read the blog

San Fernando, Philippines: Win-Win for All

Waste worker in San Fernando, Philippines, working on the composting area of a Material Recovery Facility. ©VJ Villafranca.

San Fernando has long been heralded as a zero waste model globally, having begun its zero waste journey over a decade ago.  The city improved waste diversion from 12% in 2012 to 80.69% in 2018, with a compliance rate in source separation of 93%. Through its zero waste system, the municipality has been able to reduce disposal costs by nearly half, from USD 1.4M to about USD 677K annually. 

GAIA member Mother Earth Foundation (MEF) provides vital technical, educational, and advocacy support that powers the city’s zero waste systems. One example is an intensive public information, education campaign to encourage residents’ participation, with incentives like a contest for the best-performing neighborhood (called barangay) on a live TV show called “Win-win for All.” MEF also helped organize a 160 person waste workers association that was formalized by the city– enhancing livelihoods, upgrading their working conditions, income, and social recognition while improving waste collection services. 

San Fernando’s success is part of the Zero Waste Cities Network Philippines, which shares replicable strategies, governance models, and advocacy lessons to other cities nationwide. 

Read the case study

Florianópolis

Florianopolis deserves recognition as a top zero waste city for its ambitious and effective Florianópolis Capital Lixo Zero program, alongside pioneering community composting and inclusive waste recovery efforts that have radically reduced organic waste sent to disposal. With the technical support of GAIA member Instituto Pólis, in just three years Florianopolis has more than quadrupled food waste composting from 1,175 tonnes in 2020 to 5,126 tonnes in 2024, and doubled green organic waste collection. 

The city raises awareness of zero waste through education, technical support, and strong community participation. A key example is the “Minhoca na Cabeça” program, which has distributed over 2,000 home composting kits with mandatory training, diverting about 32 kg of organic waste per household monthly, as well as school and community composting programs. Informal waste recyclers are integrated through contracts with Comcap for sorting services, ensuring employment and dignified inclusion. 

The city also puts a strong emphasis on sharing best practices, including hosting two Composting Tours, where leaders of waste pickers and municipal managers from the five Brazilian regions were able to observe in practice how the implemented strategies work and discuss the possibility of replicating them in their own territories.

Read the case study

It Takes a Village to Go Zero Waste 

What these five cities’ stories demonstrate is that in order to have a successful zero waste system, no one can be left behind. It takes deep engagement with the public for municipalities to make zero waste work, hand-in-hand with community-based organizations with the technical expertise and outreach capabilities required. Informal workers must be officially recognized for their vital contribution to zero waste systems, and given the wages, benefits, and protections to be able to work with dignity. And finally, it is critical that these best-practices be shared and supported with financial mechanisms that are suitable for community-based, decentralized systems that prioritize upstream solutions over end-of-pipe interventions. The experience of these five cities provide valuable insights for any municipality considering a zero waste plan. The solutions are out there, now it is up to us to scale them. 

PRESS STATEMENT
Feb 13, 2026

GAIA welcomes the COP31 Presidency’s decision to prioritize zero waste and waste methane reduction—a critical and timely step toward accelerating climate action and advancing a just transition for frontline communities.

Mariel Vilella, Director of GAIA’s Global Climate Program, said:

“Recognizing zero waste as a top climate priority is both urgent and overdue. Waste methane is a super-pollutant driving near-term warming, yet zero waste solutions—like composting, recycling, and organic waste treatment—can reduce methane emissions by up to 95% and cut total waste-sector emissions by more than 1.4 billion tonnes. These solutions deliver cleaner air, jobs, healthier communities, and stronger local economies, while ensuring a just transition for waste workers and marginalized communities.

“Türkiye has a unique opportunity to lead by elevating zero waste as a core climate solution, mobilizing finance toward implementation, and demonstrating scalable, equity-driven models. Across the globe, communities are already showing what works—from Dar es Salaam diverting 100% of organic waste from 4,500 households, to Brazil’s 20+ waste picker organisations supported with USD 70M, and 37 Philippine cities committed to cutting 70% of methane emissions from waste by 2030.

“Climate finance must shift from harmful disposal practices, like waste-to-energy incineration, to community-led zero waste initiatives that deliver results on the ground. Zero waste is not only a climate solution—it is a justice-centred development opportunity. The time to act is now.”

Additional information about zero waste in practice across the world

Across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, local governments and community organizations are demonstrating that zero waste systems can deliver rapid, equitable climate solutions. The cases of Buenos Aires (Argentina), Quezon City (Philippines), and Accra (Ghana) illustrate how decentralized, community-based organic waste management creates green jobs, reduces methane emissions, and strengthens local governance. These examples show that solutions already exist, but scaling them requires supportive policies, networks, and financial backing. (GAIA Zero Waste Business Models)

Additional transformative examples worldwide include:

  • Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: The Bonyokwa ward zero waste model collects 1.74 tonnes daily from 4,500 households, achieving 95% source segregation and 100% organic waste diversion, cutting 16.4 tonnes of methane annually.
  • Brazil: Over 20 waste picker organisations, including in São Paulo and Brasília, are implementing organic waste recycling systems under the National Strategy for Municipal Biowaste, supported with over USD 70M in funding.
  • Philippines: The Zero Waste Cities Network now includes 37 cities committed to cutting 70% of methane emissions from waste by 2030. The Philippine National Waste Workers Alliance (PNWWA) unites 1,000+ workers advocating for labour rights and safe working conditions.
  • Durban, South Africa: Food waste from the Warwick markets is composted for the Durban Botanic Garden, reducing landfill costs (~USD 93/ton) and creating jobs. The project is scaling to three markets and eventually all nine city markets.
  • Accra, Ghana: Green Youth Africa Organization (GAYO) integrates 600 informal waste workers into municipal waste systems, reducing burning and improving livelihoods.
  • Europe: Nearly 500 municipalities are committed to zero waste under the Zero Waste Cities Certification. Highlights include Milan collecting 95 kg of organics per person annually, Salacea (Romania) increasing separate collection from 1% to 61% in three months, and Partizanske (Slovakia) reducing residual waste by 57 kg per person within a year.

MEDIA CONTACT:  

Sonia Astudillo, Global Climate Communications Officer | +639175968286 | sonia@no-burn.org

GAIA is a network of grassroots groups as well as national and regional alliances representing more than 1000 organizations from over 100 countries. With our work we aim to catalyze a global shift towards environmental justice by strengthening grassroots social movements that advance solutions to waste and pollution. We envision a just, Zero Waste world built on respect for ecological limits and community rights, where people are free from the burden of toxic pollution, and resources are sustainably conserved, not burned or dumped. www.no-burn.org

5 de febrero, 2026

Con una apuesta por la educación como motor de transformación social y ambiental, se desarrolló en Nicaragua un proceso académico de formación en educación ambiental, que culminó con la realización del Primer seminario de educación ambiental y formación docente.

Impulsado por la Universidad Técnica de Comercio, el Centro de Investigación, Capacitación y Formación Ambiental, junto a los miembros de GAIA y Break Free From Plastic, Basura Cero Nicaragua, el proceso incluyó jornadas de formación, un ciclo de seminarios web y espacios de intercambio que permitieron fortalecer capacidades pedagógicas y metodológicas. Como resultado, nueve docentes completaron la certificación y más de 48 personas participaron activamente en las instancias virtuales previas, consolidando una comunidad educativa comprometida con el enfoque basura cero.

Para Karla Escoto, de Basura Cero Nicaragua, este camino respondió a una necesidad urgente. “En Nicaragua, el docente no suele ser considerado protagonista de la educación ambiental”, explica. Sin embargo, la experiencia acumulada en jornadas de trabajo con profesionales de la educación, sumada al involucramiento voluntario de jóvenes que ya desarrollaban acciones en colegios como reciclajes comunitarios, charlas y limpiezas de costa, evidenció que existía una base sólida sobre la cual avanzar.

Ese diagnóstico llevó a  Basura Cero Nicaragua a reflexionar sobre la importancia de incorporar durante 2025 un proceso formativo estructurado. “No se trataba solo de sensibilizar, sino de generar herramientas reales para que docentes y líderes juveniles adolescentes lideraran procesos en sus comunidades, usando los centros educativos como base de acción”, señala Karla. 

Por otro lado, uno de los momentos más significativos del proceso fue tener la oportunidad de contar con espacios de intercambio regional y escuchar las experiencias que compartieron Alicia Franco, de la Alianza Basura Cero Ecuador, Julia Elena Picado, de la Asociación Defensores del Monumento Natural Zona de los Santos, Costa Rica, y Aliz García, de Bioética, Honduras. “Hablar de basura cero en las escuelas exige partir de la experiencia vivida y sistematizada. Eso fue clave en el intercambio regional”, destaca Escoto.

Más allá del intercambio conceptual, el seminario también puso énfasis en el trabajo práctico. Las y los docentes desarrollaron herramientas que pueden aplicarse de inmediato en sus centros educativos como actividades lúdicas vinculadas al buen vivir libre de tóxicos, matrices de planificación, propuestas extracurriculares para reducir plásticos de un solo uso y orientaciones para avanzar hacia colegios basura cero.

Profesora Amalia Angulo Bonilla, Colegio Enrique de Ossó, participante de la formación docente.

Este enfoque, explica Karla, permite evaluar aprendizajes fuera del aula, identificar liderazgos juveniles y fortalecer el vínculo entre escuelas y comunidades, alineándose además con los ejes de la política educativa nacional. “Las actividades prácticas ayudan a que los y las jóvenes se conecten con experiencias reales y se alejen de dinámicas que afectan especialmente a la adolescencia”, agrega.

Más sobre Basura Cero Nicaragua:

#InvestInZeroWaste: Mobilizing resources to support action and accelerate impact

A global celebration of zero waste solutions across Asia and beyond. Join communities, organizations, and changemakers working together for a waste-free future.

collage of GAIA members holding their reusable tumblers for refuse single use day

2026 January 01 –  As the world welcomes the New Year, more than 1,000 Civil Society Organizations and Grassroots community groups in over 90 countries are also gearing up for the annual celebration of International Zero Waste Month, amplifying the call for more investment to help cities transition to the zero waste system. This January, GAIA and its members launch International Zero Waste Month 2026, putting a spotlight on the fact that it is increasingly hard for governments and investors to ignore: Zero Waste is not some fringe dream; it’s a tested solution that now needs appropriate financing to scale.

Marking the first IZWM after GAIA’s 25th anniversary, this global month of action celebrates a quarter century of collaboration that has reshaped how cities manage waste, how communities push back against polluting industries, and how real Zero Waste systems can thrive when people lead the charge. 

Over the past twenty-five years, GAIA members have demonstrated reuse systems, segregation-at-source programmes, composting schemes, and waste worker integration that have already transformed neighbourhoods and cities. 

In the Philippines, San Fernando achieved city-wide compliance through community-led segregation. Bandung, Indonesia, reduced landfill waste by 73–86% via decentralized composting and recycling, while Kerala, India, scaled similar decentralized systems across the entire state. Tallinn, Estonia, became the country’s first Zero Waste Candidate City. Across Latin America, Buenos Aires integrates waste pickers into replicable systems. In Africa, GAIA pilots demonstrate how community projects can defeat incinerator plans. Meanwhile, in North America, groups in Halifax and Nanaimo are steadily advancing their zero waste goals.

Tallinn, Estonia, became the first Estonian Zero Waste Candidate City. In Latin America, Buenos Aires integrates waste pickers into replicable systems. In Africa, GAIA pilots defeat incinerators with community projects. In the US and Canada, groups like Halifax and Nanaimo advance zero waste goals.

From Asia to the rest of the world, Zero Waste systems are building momentum. Yet, far too many of them depend on interim, project-based funding that keeps the solutions small and long-term impact susceptible to political and financial whims. IZWM 2026 puts the spotlight squarely on this gap, calling on partners, donors, and allies to back the systems and communities that are already proving Zero Waste works.

Throughout January, IZWM 2026 will unfold through weekly themes that bring to life the story of the movement, from the barriers communities face to innovations changing whole cities. Each week will be member-led actions, reports, digital campaigns, and stories to lift work happening on the ground and amplify global solidarity.

IZWM 2026 Weekly Themes:

  • Week 1: Launch (Jan 1–5): A global kickoff celebrating the 25-year journey of GAIA, charting a bold path toward long-term Zero Waste investment.
  • Week 2: Barriers to Zero Waste (Jan 6–12): This includes, but is not limited to, single-use dependence and policy loopholes; all of which are underlined by the global #RefuseSingleUse Day.
  • Week 3: Solutions Week (Jan 13–19): We showcase community-led innovations involving reuse systems, segregation-at-source programmes, and composting models.
  • Week 4: False Solutions Week (Jan 20–26): An exposé on misleading approaches: incineration and plastic credits that divert resources away from real climate and waste solutions.
  • Week 5: Humans of Zero Waste (Jan 27–31): Emphasizing the backbone of the movement: waste pickers and others in the informal waste sector,  community leaders, and zero waste champions who, through their labour and leadership, effect system-wide change. 

Objectives of the month-long campaign are clear: positioning zero waste as one of the most effective responses to the global waste crisis; amplifying the work and leadership of member organisations worldwide; strengthening a unified narrative about the change the movement is driving. 

By focusing on the people and communities leading this shift, GAIA aims to bring the story of zero waste beyond policy circles into public consciousness. Throughout January, spokespeople, case studies, and grassroots perspectives from GAIA and its members will be made available. As the world faces rising waste volumes, worsening climate impacts, and mounting pressure to move beyond fossil-fuel-driven industries, IZWM 2026 shows that zero waste solutions are already working. What the world needs now is the political will and financial backing to take them mainstream.

For Zero Waste Month activities happening worldwide, check out zwmonth.zerowaste.asia

The International Zero Waste Month is featured in the following partner media outlets: Daily Asia Today Quetta (Pakistan), The Manila Times (The Philippines), Boracay Island News Network (The Philippines), and Pressenza.

“The waste sector isn’t just about rubbish — it’s about rapid climate action, cleaner air, and social justice” emphasizes Mariel Vilella, Global Climate Program Director at GAIA

When delegates from around the world gathered in Belém, Brazil, for COP30, one thing became clear: the waste sector is no longer a background player in climate policy—it’s central to solving the crisis.

Methane, a potent greenhouse gas responsible for nearly a third of today’s warming, is sometimes called the climate “emergency brake.” Cut it now, and we slow warming fast. At COP30, the Global Methane Status Report 2025 confirmed that solutions exist:  food waste reduction, source separation, composting, biogas and ultimately diverting organic waste from landfills and dumpsites. These approaches could deliver the largest methane decline ever recorded, and much of it is cheap, scalable, and job-creating.

The report was launched at the Global Methane Pledge Ministerial (Global Methane Pledge), showing a clear pathway to emission reductions across energy, agriculture, and waste sectors. Analysis from Climate Action Tracker and Climate Analytics shows that fully implementing pledges to triple renewable energy, double energy efficiency, and cut methane sharply by 2030 could avert nearly 1°C of warming, lowering projected heating from 2.6°C to 1.7°C.

Four key outcomes from COP30 are now shaping the waste and climate agenda; milestones that signal a turning point for methane action, zero-waste solutions, and environmental justice. These developments not only elevate the role of the waste sector in global climate strategy, but also open new pathways for countries, cities, and communities to accelerate real, measurable progress. Here’s what emerged from Belém:

  1. Mitigation Work Programme: Waste Steps Into the Climate Spotlight
    A key outcome of COP30 was the elevation of waste and circular economy solutions within the Mitigation Work Programme. Building on this year’s global dialogue in Addis Ababa—where GAIA’s Neil Tangri presented organic waste best practices—Parties recognized that waste prevention, reduction, and upstream solutions in the waste hierarchy are essential to near-term climate ambition.Building on that, COP30 highlighted the need to cut waste-sector emissions while addressing the social dimensions of waste, including formalizing and protecting informal economy workers. Countries also emphasized the strong co-benefits of zero-waste approaches—from job creation to healthier communities.With a renewed focus on multilevel governance and broad collaboration across reuse, recycling, material separation, and organic waste systems, COP30 marked a clear shift: the waste sector is now firmly on the global climate agenda.
  2. Just Transition: Climate Action that Includes People
    COP30 marked a milestone with the establishment of the Just Transition Mechanism, a first step towards ensuring that climate action supports workers, communities, and vulnerable populations.Combined with new funding streams, COP30 signaled that climate solutions can be fast, fair, and effective, if we include the people who make them work.
  3. The No Organic Initiative
    COP30 also saw the launch of the No Organic Waste Initiative, a bold effort to cut methane from organic waste by two-thirds, avoid 0.1°C warming by 2050, create jobs, reduce costs, and improve resource efficiency.For the first time, waste-pickers were fully included, sending a powerful message: climate solutions must be just and inclusive.With $30 million in funding from the Global Methane Hub, this initiative demonstrates that tackling waste isn’t just about managing trash—it’s about building a cleaner, fairer world.
  4. Black Carbon: Cleaner Air and Climate Wins
    The High-Level Launch of Sectoral Action on Black Carbon, co-hosted by the Clean Air Fund and SLYCAN Trust in consultation with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), highlighted black carbon emissions and their health and climate impacts.Countries including Chile, Madagascar, Costa Rica, Canada, Uganda, Cambodia, Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, and Colombia outlined national steps to reduce black carbon from transport, household and commercial energy, and waste and agricultural burning.“Reducing methane and black carbon together improves air quality, health, and climate simultaneously”, said Henrique Bezerra Regional Lead for Latin America at the Global Methane Hub. 
  5. National Methane Programs
    To scale these solutions further, the CCAC launched seven new national methane programs, with ~$25 million committed to multi-year technical teams supporting super-emitter detection, project design, and capacity-building, aiming to reach 30 countries by 2030.

GAIA at COP30: Two Weeks of Climate Action

When the GAIA delegation touched down in Belém, we arrived with a clear mission: make waste, zero-waste solutions, and just-transition principles impossible to ignore. Over two weeks, our team turWhen the GAIA delegation touched down in Belém, we arrived with a clear mission: make waste, zero-waste solutions, and just-transition principles impossible to ignore. Over two weeks, our team turned knowledge into action, community-led ideas into policy conversations, and technical expertise into influence.

Explore the full GAIA COP30 delegation and see our GAIA COP30 calendar of events.

A Global Team, A Shared Vision

GAIA brought together 44 people from 30 organizations across 18+ countries—from Ghana and Indonesia to Chile and Brazil. Not everyone could be on-site, but our presence was felt both in the conference halls and online. Our delegation embodied a shared vision: solving the climate crisis starts with inclusive, community-driven solutions.

Week 1: Making Every Voice Heard 

GAIA members spoke at 34 events across 11 pavilions, including the Super Pollutants Pavilion, Children & Youth Pavilion, Amazon Climate Hub, and UNESCO Pavilion. We shared platforms with country pavilions like Brazil, Ethiopia, and Chile–ICCI–Iceland, and participated in UN events, press conferences, and online Climate Newsbreaks.

In numbers:

  • 28 GAIA staff and members speaking (including remote contributions)
  • 70 speaking appearances
  • Engagement with 12 funders and 15 policymakers
  • Media coverage: 4 interviews, 5 mentions (a full coverage report still to come)

It was a week defined by visibility and influence. Everywhere we went, GAIA made sure the message was unmistakable: cutting methane, expanding organic waste solutions, and advancing zero-waste strategies are essential to real climate progress. Our voices carried across pavilions, panels, and press rooms, ensuring that these priorities were not just mentioned, but centered in the conversations that matter most.

Week 2: Deepening Connections 

Week two shifted focus to building relationships and cementing impact, with 21 events across 11 pavilions, including the Museu das Amazonias, Food Roots and Routes Pavilion, USA Climate Pavilion, Super Pollutant Solutions Pavilion, and CDR30 Roundtable. Country pavilions included Bangladesh and Indonesia.

Highlights:

  • 20 GAIA members speaking, 32 appearances
  • Direct engagement with 5 funders and 2 policymakers
  • Media visibility: 2 interviews, 1 press release (a full coverage report still to come)
  • Online reach maintained through 5 Climate Newsbreaks.

Week two was all about building bridges — linking grassroots communities with global policymakers, connecting local zero-waste solutions to international funding opportunities, and turning hard-won knowledge into meaningful action. In every conversation and every room, GAIA worked to close the gaps that too often hold climate solutions back, creating pathways where collaboration and impact can truly thrive.

GAIA’s Impact: Turning Ideas into Action 

Across two weeks, GAIA demonstrated the power of connecting grassroots innovation with global policy:

  • Amplifying methane reduction and organic waste solutions
  • Highlighting inclusive, community-led zero-waste strategies
  • Engaging funders and policymakers directly
  • Strengthening solidarity across 30 countries

From high-level panels to targeted pavilion engagements, GAIA ensured zero-waste solutions and just-transition principles were central to COP30.

“Our two weeks in Belém were more than a conference—they were proof that community-driven climate action is not just possible, but essential”, said Froilan Grate, GAIA Asia Pacific Regional Coordinator, Philippines. 

Moving Forward: Opportunities for Zero Waste at COP31

Türkiye will host COP31 in 2026, while Australia takes on the lead negotiating Presidency. For Türkiye, COP31 is a chance to showcase its Zero Waste initiative as a cornerstone of domestic climate action and global leadership.

Launched in 2017, Türkiye’s Zero Waste Project has achieved:

  • Waste Reduction: Millions of tons of paper and plastic diverted from landfills
  • Emission Savings: ~500,000 tons of CO₂e saved annually
  • Resource Conservation: Preserving raw materials, energy, and water
  • Plastic Bag Reduction: 75% drop in usage between 2019–2021

The transition from COP30 to COP31 is a unique opportunity for the zero waste movement. GAIA’s experience in Belém shows how community-driven solutions, technical knowledge, and policy advocacy intersect to create real impact.

Türkiye’s Zero Waste initiative is a tangible example of national action that can be amplified globally, though tackling systemic hurdles like imported plastic waste and landfill reliance will be essential.

We look forward to supporting Türkiye, the Zero Waste Foundation, and the global community as they leverage COP31 to strengthen zero waste and methane mitigation. The next chapter is about turning ambition into action, bridging national initiatives with global climate leadership, and ensuring zero waste becomes a central pillar of the climate agenda.

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