Municipal Solid Waste Initiative by Kristine Smukste - 1 August, 2015 Share SHARE Facebook share Twitter LinkedIn Copy URL Email Print Breadcrumb Home News and Announcements Municipal Solid Waste Initiative Lima-Paris Action Agenda Why Municipal Solid Waste? Landfills are the third largest anthropogenic source of methane, accounting for approximately 11% of estimated global methane emissions, equivalent to nearly 800 megatonnes of CO2e per year and with urbanization growing faster than ever, its generation is rapidly accelerating. The waste sector is also a significant source of black carbon through open burning of uncollected or illegally landfilled waste, and transport of waste by outdated heavy-duty vehicles. In addition, uncontrolled leachate contaminates ground water and increases incidence of vector-borne diseases. Waste is therefore not only an important climate challenge, but also one that affects every aspect of life for millions of people around the world. For many cities, waste consumes a disproportionate and unsustainable share of municipal budgets, leaving many communities without basic collection and disposal services, driving them to burn their waste - with deleterious health impacts. Cities often rely on informal waste pickers, typically from impoverished and marginalized groups working in hazardous conditions, to help address this growing burden. Today, more than half the global population lives in cities. Recognising that urbanization is growing and that rising income levels increase waste generation, especially in the developing world, addressing the downstream consequences of municipal solid waste is clearly a priority. landfill-879437_1280.jpg Solution Reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) through well-managed waste systems will mitigate climate change and have significant local and national health, environmental, and economic co-benefits, including improved quality of life and importantly - dignity for local communities. The CCAC Municipal Solid Waste Initiative provides a catalysing force to reduce emissions across the stages of municipal solid waste management by supporting cities in a variety of efforts, including capping and closing of open dumps, capturing and utilising landfill gas and ensuring proper waste handling, and organics management. Participating cities complete assessments to identify local SLCP reduction opportunities. The Initiative then works with these cities to carry out the planning and technical steps needed for developing integrated solid waste management plans that prioritize emissions reductions projects, including waste prevention, waste diversion, optimized collection and transport, proper landfill operations and management (including capturing and utilising landfill gas), and other energy recovery programs. Participating cities have the opportunity and are encouraged to become “centres of excellence” for their countries and mentor additional cities in their country and region to continue to promote such practices. The Initiative also works with national governments to put in place programs, policies and incentives that can help scale up action from individual cities to countrywide approaches. The Initiative convenes capacity building events to bring cities and countries together to share best practices, highlight success stories, and encourage city-to-city mentoring. It provides access to an expert network and information on business plans and action-oriented projects that focus on methane and black carbon reduction and management. 2014-01-27 03.59.26.jpg Photo: Ylva Engqvist, CCAC Our promise By December 2015, 50 cities globally will commit to develop and implement quantifiable plans of action to reduce SLCPs from the waste sector by 2020, with support from national and partner city governments. Progress and deliverables in 2015 The CCAC MSW Initiative continues to collect and expand partners’ efforts to meet its objectives. In the lead up to COP21, the Initiative is mobilising political will and communicating the achievements and progress of participating cities at major events. As of June of 2015, the Initiative: has collected waste data to inform policy/project development in 17 cities around the world with another 13 underway is completing pre-feasibility studies in 13 cities is piloting a results-based funding mechanism in Penang, Malaysia is releasing an Emissions Quantification Tool for MSW actions shortly 8 cities are cooperating through exchange partnerships that facilitate peer-to-peer support and knowledge sharing 50 cities have shared experiences, received information and training, and connected with peers through five regional and global workshops, webinars, and other events is developing a software-based decision-support tool for solid waste management is planning 2 more regional training workshops for Africa and South East Asia. What will be presented at COP21 The CCAC MSW Initiative will announce new cities and National Governments joining the initiative and endorsing the commitment, and will support other Mayors, Governors and Heads of State to join. The event will be a platform to highlight the foresight and leadership of participating cities to reduce SLCP emissions, and to rally political will from countries, cities and financial organisations to support, facilitate and enable more ambitious SLCP reducing actions. Going forward, the Initiative’s ambition is to scale up its actions in three key areas: 1. Development of a City Network to foster city to city collaboration, replication of good practices, and increase emissions reduction; 2. Helping cities select and effectively deploy financial sources and host a financing workshop with stakeholders from cities and financial institutions; 3. Development of a National Actions Platform to work with national governments to guide capacity building. 2014-01-29 04.23.44-2.jpg Photo: Ylva Engqvist, CCAC Partners and supporters Lead organisatons: C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Government of Canada International Solid Waste Association Government of Japan Government of Japan UNEP International Environmental Technology Centre (UNEP IETC) Government of the United States of America The World Bank Nation States: Germany, Sweden IGOs, NGOs, CSOs and Others: Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)-UNEP Regional Resource Center for Asia and the Pacific (RRC.AP) Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP) Brazilian Association of Solid Waste Management (ABRELPE) Gevalor o Global Environment Centre Foundation (GEC) Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) TERRE Policy Centre Tags Themes Waste