The project “Capital Cities Collaborating on Common Challenges in Hazardous Waste Management - Yerevan, Warsaw, Tirana” is designed to bring about significant improvements in HWM, providing innovative and collaborative solutions to local governments, companies, and citizens.
The project team, in close cooperation with key stakeholders, aims to strengthen urban governance in hazardous waste management by cities-to-cities partnership, greater citizens’ participation and mainstreaming best practices, with focus on Yerevan, in collaboration with Warsaw and Tirana. The project logic follows the respective framework:
• Conducting a comprehensive baseline study and needs assessment as an evidence-based starting point
• Introduction of improved technical, organisational, ‘smart’ solutions for HWM
• Raising citizens’ awareness and participation in HWM
• Making HWM a daily practice.

The overall objective of the project is to strengthen urban governance in hazardous waste management by cities-to-cities partnership based on peer learning, greater citizens’ participation and mainstreaming best practices, with focus on Yerevan. The project puts a significant emphasize on improved HWM systems, functioning on the basis of solid evidence, careful assessment of costs and benefits, and high involvement and participation by the affected populations.
To achieve the overarching objective, the following specific objectives have been identified:
- To strengthen evidence-based governance aspects by technical and organisational solutions for management of hazardous waste in capital cities, with focus on Yerevan.
- To improve participation-based governance aspects by increasing citizens’ awareness and participation in management of hazardous waste in capital cities, with focus on Yerevan.
- To promote good governance by mainstreaming effective management of hazardous waste in cities.

• Improved institutional, financial and administrative capacities of partner cities in HWM
• Strengthened policy dialogue on urban policies and urban challenges in HWM
• Strengthened mechanisms for consultation, coordination and cooperation among public, private, civil society sectors and other relevant stakeholders in the decision making and production of urban development outcomes in HWM
• Improved quality, delivery, equitable access to basic services and infrastructures in HWM
• Enhanced capacities of cities and LA’s in managing urban waste, specifically HW
• Promoted resilient urban development and urban circular economy
• Enhanced capacities of cities in managing (multi hazard) disaster risks and services in HWM
• Promoted public-private partnerships at local level in HWM
• Strengthened capacities of cities and LA’s in using smart technologies in HWM
• Promoted cities-to-cities/networks approach to common challenges in HWM: