The City of Yokohama is proud to announce its selection by the UN as one of the 20 Cities Towards Zero Waste, an initiative led by the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Zero Waste, with support from UN-Habitat and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The selected cities were unveiled on March 27, 2026, ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste on 30 March, 2026, and featured at a high-level commemorative event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Yokohama is honored to be the only city selected from Japan, joining 19 others from across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas in this inaugural cohort.

This initiative highlights cities demonstrating ambitious and innovative approaches to reducing waste, advancing circular economy solutions, and building more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive urban system. With humanity generating up to 2.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste each year, cities are a vital part of global efforts to tackle the waste crisis and its impacts on climate, biodiversity, public health, and livelihoods. Yokohama’s selection is a recognition that the city has meaningfully risen to that challenge.

Multiple round table discussions took place, during one of which Carlos Silva Filho, Member of the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Zero Waste took the opportunity to announce the 20 Cities Towards Zero Waste.

During these discussions, José Manuel Moller, Deputy Chair of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Zero Waste, noted that what sets the selected cities apart is their willingness to implement real solutions, and that zero waste is not a distant vision or a communications exercise, but something practical, local, and achievable when cities lead by example. UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rosbach emphasized that cities are at the frontline of the zero-waste transition, managing waste systems while reshaping local economies, influencing consumption patterns, and advancing inclusive solutions.