Coming together for change: highlights from our annual network gathering

There’s something powerful about our yearly Network-Wide Gathering (NWG). More than just a meeting, it’s a vital moment for our movement to reconnect, reflect, and recharge. Each year, this gathering brings our network closer, helping us deepen our collective work, share stories and strategies, and spark new opportunities for collaboration.

In May 2025, over 60 passionate changemakers from our network and our team came together in Bar, Montenegro. Over three energising days, we shared ideas, celebrated our wins, and mapped out the next steps toward a fairer and zero waste future. (Get to know our movement).

Making it happen: collaborating for impact

During the gathering, we had different areas for participants to come together and connect, for example the Zero Waste Fair gave members a platform to showcase victories, share visions and challenges, and discover new opportunities for collaboration. Over the course of three days, we held three thematic sessions focused on pressing zero waste challenges:

• Making health central to ZW (reuse, recycling and end of waste)
• From Zero to Hero – mapping the journey of a Zero Waste City and Business
• Our common strategy to shape the future of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

Alongside these sessions, we hosted parallel discussions sparked by member-led questions and priorities. Topics ranged from Deposit Return Systems (DRS) and sustainable financing models for NGOs, to strategies for debunking incineration myths, the launch of a global campaign to ban plastic cigarette filters, and ways to better integrate environmental justice into our collective work. We also heard stories from across our network, including:

• VOICE Ireland presented Threads of Transparency, a campaign revealing the environmental impact of fast fashion, and their new online hub Fabric of Change empowers consumers to make more sustainable clothing choices.
• Retorna inspired us with their grassroots campaign, #LeydeResiduosYA, advocating for full DRS implementation in Spain. It was a powerful reminder of local activism’s ability to drive national policy.
• Zero Waste France showcased their campaign to push back against an incineration expansion. Despite facilities staying within legal limits, public funds are being funnelled into private waste management. They are demanding an immediate halt to new incinerator projects and a shift toward waste prevention.
• Friends of the Earth – SPZ, Slovakia shared multiple initiatives, including the #StopSpalovniam anti-incineration campaign (stopspalovniam.sk), the development of home composting in family houses, highlighted in the #ForkToFarm campaign and a pilot Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) project in apartment buildings in the city of Partizánske (read the case study).

Discover Montenegro: a country on the move toward zero waste

On the second day of our gathering we focused on Montenegro, home of just 620,000 people. The country is rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage, but it also grapples with major waste challenges. In 2023, the country generated over 1.3 million tonnes of waste, with household waste averaging 577.5 kg per person, a 6.1% increase from 2022. Additionally, illegal landfills and outdated infrastructure continue to hinder progress.

But things are changing. In April 2024, Montenegro took a step forward by passing a new Law on Waste Management, introducing two key measures: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and a ban on single-use plastics (SUP). These reforms mark a turning point in the country’s journey toward sustainable resource management. Our guests from Montenegro provided some examples of this change:

• Biljana Gligoric shared how the Central Bank of Montenegro is engaging with the MiZA Zero Waste Business Certification.
• Jelena Radulovic from the municipality of Kotor highlighted initiatives in high-quality composting, expanded waste collection services, and youth education in the city.
• Ruzica Brnovic, Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Development of North, delved into the country’s evolving national policies, especially Montenegro’s new waste management plan and the implementation of EPR. 

Where we stand and where we’re going

Recent changes in European and national politics have made it even more urgent to reduce external dependencies and strengthen Europe’s resilience in using resources. At the same time, progress on key issues like waste management is still slower than we’d like. EU recycling rates are falling, and while overall waste generation is slightly down, many local challenges persist. Limited municipal budgets and the widespread use of single-use products continue to hold us back.

Still, if we’re looking for signs of hope, we’ll find them at the local level. Across Europe, 86 municipalities in 18 countries, home to 18 million people, are actively engaged in our zero waste efforts, including through our Zero Waste Cities certification programme by Mission Zero Academy. Since 2023 alone, citizen engagement has jumped by 9.7%, with 4.5 million more Europeans joining our efforts.

On Thursday, we also held our General Assembly, where we approved our finances and re-appointed three board members: Mindy O’Brien, Jaka Kranjc and Juliette Franquet. With this as our backdrop, our members also adopted our new Strategic Framework for the next five years. This new strategy gives us clear direction and ambitious goals to guide us in the coming years. We are committed to:

• Shaping the political debate on strategic resource use.
• Putting health and wellbeing at the heart of zero waste solutions.
• Securing the policies and funding needed to scale circularity.
• Empowering cities and businesses to lead on reuse and prevention.
• Building an integrated, united movement for zero waste.

We know that collaboration is key to creating inclusive, lasting solutions. That’s why we work across borders, connecting with other GAIA regions, building an expert network, and forging strong alliances. 

Gratitude & hope

The final day of our meeting always brings a mix of feelings, gratitude, purpose, and a tinge of sadness knowing we’ll soon part ways. We left Montenegro filled with hope, ideas, and an even deeper bond as a movement.

Huge thanks to our hosts and members, Zero Waste Montenegro, and to the welcoming people of Montenegro for their warmth and hospitality. This gathering wasn’t just a meeting, it was a celebration of what we can accomplish when we come together.