By the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly adopted in 2022, the “International Day of Zero Waste” is annually observed on March 31 to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns and to advance global efforts in waste reduction.
Facilitated jointly by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), this year’s observance highlighted the critical issue of food waste and its linkages to environmental pollution.
On the occasion, a webinar entitled “Mobilizing Urban Action and International Cooperation Towards Zero Food Waste” was co-organized UNEP, UN-Habitat, the Basel Conventional Regional Center for Asia and the Pacific, and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) of Mongolia.
In this context, the MECC is placing high priority on supporting the webinar as a platform for disseminating information and strengthening the legal and policy framework related to zero-waste initiatives. The hybrid event brough together more than 100 representatives from Ulaanbaatar Mayor’s Office, governor offices of the nine districts of Ulaanbaatar, Erdenet, Darkhan and Kharkhorin cities as well as from aimags including Zavkhan, Khuvsgul, Khentii, Tuv, Bulgan, Uvurkhangai, and Dornod.
During the event, UN Resident Coordinator Jaap van Hierden and State Secretary of the MECC Batbayar Shurenchuluun highlighted an importance of enhancing collaboration and accelerating actions toward a sustainable, zero-waste future.