Tackling Climate Change through sustainable waste management
Although minor levels of emissions are released through waste treatment and disposal, the prevention and recovery of wastes avoid emissions in all sectors of the economy. It is estimated that a reduction of 15 to 20% of worldwide greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions could be achieved through sustainable waste management.
With more extreme weather and an increasing occurrence of natural disasters, climate change is going to severely challenge our current ways of consumption and the way we will manage waste. It is therefore urgent to address this issue now before the situation worsens further.
If we can’t address the current waste challenges, how are we going to address the future ones?
Strengthening the capacity of policymakers to reduce GHGs and SLCPs from the waste sector
For this purpose, IETC supports both, national and local governments in creating an enabling legislative, financial and technological environment for the introduction and uptake of environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) in the waste sector.
In the long-term, this will enable reductions of GHGs and SLCPs emissions from the waste sector and contribute to achieve the country's climate change mitigation pledge.
In June 2017, IETC will begin the implementation of a climate mitigation project in Bhutan, Mongolia and Nepal. The 4-year project will aim at improving waste management practices, focusing on emissions reduction. The project will also work with the three countries to catalyze further climate financing for sustainable and greater impacts.
With a budget of Euro 2,500,000, this project financed by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) and UN Environment is hoped to have a decisive impact on long term trajectories of the three countries, by:
- Initiating behavioral change
- Engaging the private sector
- Fostering political will
Waste and Climate Change Project
Strengthening the capacity of policymakers in Bhutan, Mongolia, and Nepal to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) and short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) from the waste sector based on the circular economy concept.
In June 2017, the International Environmental Technology Centre began the implementation of a climate change mitigation project in Bhutan, Mongolia, and Nepal. Through this 4-year project, IETC supports both, national and local governments in the three countries in creating an enabling legislative, financial, and technological environment for the introduction and uptake of environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) in the waste sector.
In the long-term, this project will enable reductions of GHGs and SLCPs emissions from the waste sector. This will be accomplished through specific policy improvements, the identification of suitable environmentally sound technologies to mitigate GHGs and SLCPs emissions from the waste sector, and the development of bankable project proposals for the demonstration of the identified ESTs.
With a budget of Euro 2,500,000 funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) and IETC, this project will increase the ability of Bhutan, Mongolia, and Nepal in achieving their mitigation commitments (Nationally Determined Contributions) by initiating behavioral change, engaging the private sector, and fostering political will.
Project reports, lessons learned, and case studies will be easily accessible with the aim of incentivizing replications of similar efforts.
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For more information, please contact IETC's focal point on Climate Change:
Shunichi Honda
shunichi.honda[at]un.org
