As the world steps into 2026, a powerful global coalition is mobilizing to tackle the waste crisis. Over 1,000 Civil Society Organizations and grassroots groups across more than 90 countries are preparing to mark International Zero Waste Month (IZWM) this January. Led by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), the campaign delivers a unified message: zero waste is a proven, effective solution that now requires serious financial backing to reach its full potential.
A Quarter-Century of Proven Solutions
This year's IZWM holds special significance as it follows GAIA's 25th anniversary. The month celebrates 25 years of collaborative work that has fundamentally changed how cities handle waste and how communities resist polluting industries. The evidence of success is visible worldwide. In the Philippines, San Fernando achieved city-wide compliance with waste rules through community-led segregation programs.
Other global examples are equally compelling. Bandung, Indonesia, slashed its landfill waste by an impressive 73% to 86% using decentralized composting and recycling. Kerala, India, managed to scale similar decentralized systems across an entire state. Estonia's capital, Tallinn, earned recognition as the country's first Zero Waste Candidate City. In Latin America, Buenos Aires has successfully integrated waste pickers into formal, replicable systems. Meanwhile, in Africa, community projects supported by GAIA have successfully opposed plans for waste incinerators.
The Funding Gap and The 2026 Campaign Focus
Despite this clear momentum, a major obstacle remains. Too many zero waste initiatives rely on short-term, project-based funding, which limits their scale and leaves long-term impact vulnerable to shifting political and financial priorities. IZWM 2026 aims to spotlight this critical gap, calling on donors, partners, and allies to invest in the systems and communities that have already demonstrated what works.
The month-long campaign is structured around weekly themes designed to tell the full story of the movement:
- Week 1 (Jan 1–5): Launch – A global kickoff celebrating GAIA's 25-year journey and charting a path for long-term investment.
- Week 2 (Jan 6–12): Barriers to Zero Waste – Focusing on issues like dependence on single-use plastics, highlighted by Global #RefuseSingleUse Day.
- Week 3 (Jan 13–19): Solutions Week – Showcasing community-led innovations in reuse, segregation-at-source, and composting.
- Week 4 (Jan 20–26): False Solutions Week – Exposing misleading approaches like incineration and plastic credits.
- Week 5 (Jan 27–31): Humans of Zero Waste – Honoring the waste pickers, community leaders, and champions driving systemic change.
Objectives and Global Call to Action
The campaign has three clear goals: to position zero waste as a top solution to the global waste crisis, to amplify the work of member organizations worldwide, and to strengthen a unified narrative about the change being driven. By highlighting the people and communities on the front lines, GAIA aims to move the zero waste conversation from policy circles into the broader public consciousness.
With the planet facing rising waste volumes and intensifying climate impacts, the examples set by cities like San Fernando, Bandung, and Tallinn prove that alternatives exist. IZWM 2026 underscores that the world now needs the political will and financial commitment to bring these successful zero waste systems into the mainstream. Activities and resources for the month can be found at zwmonth.zerowaste.asia.
