Central African Republic - Deliver a waste methane assessment for the city of Bangui

Rationale

This project directly addresses the expressed commitment of the Central African Republic, represented by its Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, to tackle methane emissions as part of its broader climate commitments. Having joined the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) in 2013, the Central African Republic has demonstrated a clear understanding of the detrimental impacts of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs).

The country's active engagement with the CCAC's Supporting National Planning (SNAP) Initiative since 2018 underscores its dedication to building the necessary foundation for effective climate action. This collaboration has focused on developing integrated emission inventories and enhancing national capacity to mitigate SLCPs, paving the way for evidence-based policymaking and emission reduction strategies that promise tangible in-country benefits, including improvements in public health and economic growth.

Building upon this existing partnership and recognizing the significance of the waste sector as a key source of SLCP emissions, particularly methane, the Central African Republic, through its Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, has specifically requested expert assistance in assessing methane emissions within the city of Bangui's waste management system.

Therefore, this project seeks to provide the Central African Republic with the necessary technical expertise to quantify methane emissions from the waste sector in Bangui, encompassing its eleven departments. Furthermore, the project will identify and propose viable mitigation options to reduce these emissions and offer recommendations for the adoption of sustainable waste management practices. This assessment will involve a detailed analysis of waste quantities, composition, and the resulting methane and other SLCP emissions.

Objectives

• To deliver a comprehensive assessment of methane emissions from the waste sector in the city of Bangui, encompassing waste quantification, characterization, and the resulting methane and other SLCP emissions.
• To provide the Central African Republic and the city of Bangui with a thorough evaluation of the current waste management situation, including its technical (collection, treatment, and disposal), regulatory, planning, and financial dimensions.
• To report on historical and projected amounts and types of waste generated, treated, and disposed of in Bangui.
• To develop a locally relevant roadmap outlining viable waste methane mitigation options that hold potential for replication in other cities within the Central African Republic.
  To estimate current SLCP emissions originating from the existing waste management practices in Bangui.
• To project future waste SLCP emission scenarios, including a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario and scenarios incorporating recommended methane mitigation strategies.

Activities

To achieve these objectives, the project will:

• Conduct a detailed assessment of the technical aspects of Bangui's current waste management system across its eleven departments, utilizing the UN Habitat's Waste Wise City Tool and incorporating both primary and secondary research. This will include an analysis of waste generation, characterization, and anticipated future trends.
• Undertake an evaluation of the non-technical dimensions of Bangui's waste management, specifically examining the regulatory framework, financing mechanisms, and planning processes, drawing upon primary and secondary research.
• Based on the technical waste assessment, calculate the current SLCP emissions generated by the city of Bangui's waste sector.
  Develop a comprehensive roadmap, informed by both the technical and non-technical assessments, that presents locally appropriate waste methane mitigation options with the potential for broader application within the Central African Republic.
• Estimate future waste SLCP emission scenarios, contrasting a business-as-usual (BAU) projection with scenarios that integrate the recommended waste methane mitigation strategies.
• Facilitate close collaboration with the CCAC Secretariat team and focal points at the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development throughout the assessment and roadmap development process

Project Reference: [CF-22-005t] Central African Republic - Deliver a waste methane assessment for the city of Bangui