Support a Pickup China Network: For a clean planet

In 2026, the Leaders' Academy successfully completed its capacity-building program for partner organizations across China, with a focus on strengthening their professional expertise and ability to translate knowledge into practical action in outdoor waste management. Five in-person training sessions were held in Shenzhen, Hefei, Shenyang, Chengdu, Taiyuan and Shanghai, bringing together 135 experienced environmental practitioners from more than 50 partner organizations nationwide. Each session attracted more than 20 participants, fully achieving the project’s planned outputs.

The training covered key areas including waste management approaches, action planning and implementation, volunteer management, resource mobilization, communications and branding, project operations, and World Cleanup Day campaign planning. Through case studies, thematic training, group discussions, and collaborative action design, participants strengthened their organizational management, project implementation, and public engagement capabilities. The program also promoted the sharing and replication of practical experience among partner organizations, contributing to the development of a more professional, effective, and sustainable national network for environmental action.

Beyond strengthening technical and organizational capacities, this year’s Leaders‘’ Academy encouraged partners to rethink outdoor waste management by shifting the focus from “cleaning up waste” to addressing its root causes. Participants explored the full lifecycle of waste and discussed how local initiatives can move beyond end-of-pipe cleanup toward source reduction, public awareness, and policy engagement. Practical sessions on volunteer engagement, government and corporate partnerships, and resource mobilization also provided partners with actionable approaches to address common challenges in team development, project expansion, and long-term sustainability.

The Academy further created opportunities for peer learning and innovation. Partners shared experiences from mountain cleanups, beach plastic reduction, zero-waste island initiatives, and other locally developed practices, identifying approaches with strong potential for replication in other communities. During the final co-creation sessions, participants worked together to develop 2026 World Cleanup Day plans tailored to their local contexts, covering riverbank cleanups, community mobilization, school-based awareness activities, and other forms of public engagement.

These activities have strengthened collaboration, knowledge exchange, and resource sharing among environmental organizations across China. More importantly, they have equipped local partners with new ideas, practical tools, and stronger networks to move from individual cleanup activities toward more systematic and sustainable environmental action.

On March 20, 2026, the annual Clean Conference was successfully held in Shenzhen, bringing together approximately 80 environmental leaders, practitioners, and partners from across China. The event provided an important opportunity to reflect on the achievements of World Cleanup Day China in 2025, share innovative practices, and shape priorities for future environmental action.

During the conference, our team presented the 2025 World Cleanup Day China Impact Report. The results demonstrated the growing momentum of environmental action across the country. In 2025 alone, activities were organized in more than 300 cities across China, mobilizing 192,546 participants through 1,927 cleanup events. Together, volunteers collected 122,536.56 kg of waste, including 18,548.59 kg of recyclable materials.

Since World Cleanup Day was introduced in China in 2018, participation has continued to expand significantly. To date, more than 1.826 million people have joined the movement, removing a total of 3,399 tons of waste from communities, coastlines, mountains, schools, and public spaces. These results reflect the increasing commitment of individuals, organizations, and communities to environmental stewardship.

Beyond celebrating achievements, the conference focused on exploring new approaches to environmental work. Discussions covered topics such as the use of AI technology in environmental action, reducing plastic pollution, tackling food waste, strengthening public engagement, and improving communication strategies for nonprofit organizations.

One particularly inspiring message throughout the conference was that technology and innovation can become powerful tools for environmental impact. Real-world examples demonstrated how AI-supported tools can help improve efficiency, strengthen data collection, and support more targeted environmental action.

The conference itself also adopted zero-waste practices, reinforcing our belief that sustainability is not simply a concept but something that can be embedded into everyday decisions and actions.

As we move forward into 2026, we remain committed to building stronger partnerships among governments, communities, schools, and businesses, while continuing to empower more people to take action. We believe that when even 5% of people take action, they can inspire 100% change.