We know that 2020 has been an unprecedented year of challenges and change. Yet despite the hardship and uncertainty faced by many over the past 12 months, we continue to see positive news and inspiring stories from our Zero Waste Cities.
The policies and commitments made by zero waste cities continue to shine a light on a way out of the problems we have created for ourselves today through our over-consumption and production patterns. They provide a roadmap for local and national governments to follow, with tangible policies and strategies that lead the transition from waste to resource management. We know this because we have seen it happen throughout Europe over the past decade. This is why we have launched the first ever State of Zero Waste Municipalities Report.
Providing historical context on how the movement began and an outline of what makes a zero waste city, as well as showcasing data from zero waste cities across Europe and highlighting other zero waste best practices, this report is the first of its kind. The report is a landmark moment and showcases the development of the movement since its very early days in 2007. Led by experts such as Rossano Ercolini and Paul Connett, using Paul’s groundbreaking book ‘The Zero Waste Solution’ as a guiding light, we have seen communities across Europe follow their inspiration to become leaders and zero waste champions in their own right.
The report brings together a unique combination of both quantitative and qualitative data on zero waste in Europe. For example, it contains both the most up to date data from the best performing Italian zero waste municipalities, as well as the story on how Zero Waste Italy has come to build a network of 311 zero waste municipalities. Whether you are looking for key data from Romanian zero waste cities or the best reusable nappy systems in Europe, this report provides the most comprehensive overview of the work that has and is being done on zero waste at the local level.
Many chapters within the report have been written by those who have been behind the most successful local zero waste strategies in Europe. Created by the Zero Waste Cities programme within Zero Waste Europe, the State of Zero Waste Municipalities report is a celebration of these pioneering zero waste municipalities. It is a recognition of the leaders and communities who have recognised the urgency of the crisis we face, and have acted upon this.
We know that stories have the power to change the world for the better. We hope that by reading ours, the Zero Waste Cities story, that you are inspired to change yours.
