Three Chinese cities – Hangzhou, Sanya, and Suzhou – are stepping onto the global stage, not for economic might alone, but for redefining how cities manage waste in an era of climate urgency.
The cities have been recognised by a United Nations advisory board as part of the inaugural “20 Cities Towards Zero Waste” initiative – an effort led by the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Zero Waste, with support from UN-Habitat and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), both headquartered in Nairobi.
The recognition comes ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste, spotlighting cities that are “taking bold and ambitious steps” toward reducing waste and advancing circular economy systems.
The urgency is clear. The world generates over 2.1 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste each year – placing cities at the center of the global sustainability challenge.
Against this backdrop, Hangzhou, Sanya, and Suzhou have distinguished themselves through practical, scalable solutions. Their efforts span food waste reduction, organic waste processing, inclusive recycling systems that integrate informal workers, and public awareness campaigns designed to shift behaviour at the community level.
UN-Habitat Executive Director, Anaclaudia Rossbach, emphasised that such initiatives show how “local action, supported by strong governance and partnerships,” can accelerate the transition to more resilient and inclusive urban systems.
Meanwhile, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, highlighted innovations such as extended producer responsibility models – particularly in cities like Suzhou – as critical tools in tackling pollution while reshaping economies around sustainability and equity.
Behind this recognition lies a broader national push. China is rapidly scaling its “zero-waste city” model, aiming to expand it to nearly 200 cities between 2026 and 2030 as part of its green transition strategy.
Cities like Hangzhou offer a glimpse into how this works in practice. Through digital platforms, waste is tracked from disposal to processing, transforming trash into energy, reusable materials, and economic value. In 2024 alone, waste-to-energy systems in the city generated billions of kilowatt-hours of electricity – turning a traditional burden into a productive resource stream.
Suzhou, on the other hand, has pioneered integrated industrial ecosystems where wastewater treatment, energy generation, and recycling operate in a closed-loop system – illustrating the potential of circular economy design at scale.
The recognition carries particular relevance for Africa, where rapid urbanisation is intensifying waste management challenges. With UN agencies like UNEP and UN-Habitat headquartered in Nairobi, the continent is increasingly positioned as a hub for global sustainability dialogue and implementation.
China’s experience offers a practical blueprint. Its model blends infrastructure, digital innovation, and governance reform, elements that are already being shared through China–Africa cooperation frameworks.
Across countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Africa, Chinese-supported projects have begun addressing urban sanitation, recycling systems, and waste-to-energy solutions. These initiatives align with broader partnerships under the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), where green development is emerging as a key pillar.
Environmental collaboration is becoming an increasingly important dimension of China–Africa relations, complementing traditional areas such as infrastructure, trade, and energy.
From renewable energy projects to sustainable urban planning, both sides are expanding cooperation to address climate change and environmental resilience – areas that are now central to Africa’s development agenda.
The recognition of Chinese cities by the United Nations reinforces this shift. It highlights not only what has been achieved, but what can be shared.
What these cities demonstrate is simple but powerful: waste is no longer just a problem – it is an opportunity. An opportunity to generate energy, create jobs, and build cleaner cities.
As the world moves toward a circular economy, the lessons from Hangzhou, Sanya, and Suzhou are likely to travel far beyond China’s borders.
And for Africa’s fast-growing cities, the message is clear – sustainable urban futures are not theoretical. They are already being built.
