Bologna has been named one of the top 20 "Zero Waste Cities" in the world by the United Nations Secretary-General's Advisory Committee on Zero Waste, which was founded in 2023 to disseminate local and national best practices. Bologna was chosen for its waste management approach, which has achieved substantial levels of discrete waste collection, minimized single-use waste through reuse initiatives and community programs, and fostered a circular economy with active citizen participation. In only three years, Bologna elevated its separate waste collection rate from 63.2% (2022) to over 72% (2024), with organic waste, paper and cardboard, mixed materials, and plastics constituting the primary recovered streams. This advancement was facilitated by the city-wide deployment of intelligent waste bins for residual refuse and comprehensive reuse initiatives that minimize single-use items and attain diversion rates of up to 95% during flagship events such as the Bologna Marathon. These findings show not only rapid progress, but also a solid foundation for long-term sustainability within the Bologna Climate Mission and its larger decarbonization objectives. On the occasion of International Zero Waste Day on March 30, the Bologna initiative will be showcased alongside other selected initiatives during official commemorative events in Nairobi and New York.