Colombia - Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) – Waste sector

Rationale

The waste sector in Colombia is a significant contributor to national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for 7% of the total, with methane (CH4), a potent short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP), comprising 93.4% of these emissions. This sector presents substantial opportunities for Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) achievement, aligning with circular economy principles and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Ministry of Housing, City and Territory (MVCT) is responsible for key subcategories within the waste sector, including solid waste disposal, open burning of waste, and domestic wastewater, which collectively accounted for 14,699 Gg of CO2eq emissions in 2018.

Recognizing the importance of addressing these emissions, the MVCT has adopted the Comprehensive Climate Change Management Plan (PIGCCS) and developed the Municipal Solid Waste Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (MSW NAMA). Furthermore, the national government has prioritized the "Zero Waste Program" in its National Development Plan 2022-2026. To effectively track progress, inform policy and regulatory development, and meet national and international climate commitments, including the NDC, National Act 2169 of 2021, and the Global Methane Pledge, the MVCT requires a robust sectoral Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system. This system will enhance transparency and facilitate the implementation of the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) and the submission of Colombia’s Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs).

Objectives

• To conceptualize and design a comprehensive sectoral Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system for methane reduction and recovery within the Colombian waste sector, with an initial focus on solid waste and wastewater management.
• To strengthen the capacity of the MVCT and relevant national stakeholders in Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) processes, including data collection and reporting, to support more ambitious targets for methane and other SLCP emissions.
• To enhance the MVCT's technical and financial capacity to evaluate methane mitigation measures in the waste sector, improve reporting capabilities, and identify areas for increased support in data management, inventories, and methane emissions reporting for national and BTR reports.
• To foster increased sectorial engagement among stakeholders to articulate and report on sectorial and national MRV/BTR systems, aiming for interoperability of information systems.
   

Activities

To achieve these objectives, the project will:

Outcome 1: Information

• Identify and define key sectorial and national stakeholders relevant to waste sector MRV.
  Strengthen existing or create necessary requirements for information systems to support sectoral MRV.
• Establish clear information flows and develop data capture and transmission tools relevant to the waste sector and GHG mitigation projects.
• Define appropriate indicators to monitor GHG and non-GHG effects, as well as the implementation of GHG reduction strategies within the sector.

Outcome 2: Support in technical and financial capacity building

• Conduct an assessment and develop a roadmap for strengthening sectorial capacities for accurate GHG estimations, aligned with IPCC 2006 guidelines and the 2019 refinements.
• Organize workshops and dialogues with technical teams from the MVCT and other stakeholders to discuss the scope, approach, and requirements for the sectoral MRV system and the development of national and BTR reports for key emission sources.
• Host a virtual seminar to share international best practices in MRV systems related to sanitation and waste management, drawing on experiences from countries with similar contexts to Colombia.
• Develop detailed cost estimates for the implementation and ongoing maintenance of the sectoral MRV system, including human and technological resource requirements.
• Structure a project proposal for submission to financing mechanisms to support the subsequent phases of the sectoral MRV system's development and implementation.

Outcome 3: Sectoral Articulation

• Establish institutional arrangements for the sectoral MRV system with the National Climate Change Information System (SNICC), the national MRV system for mitigation actions, MRV systems of other relevant sectors, and quality assurance/quality control systems.
• Ensure articulation and interoperability of the sectoral MRV system with the National MRV system, following guidelines provided by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.
• Develop a concrete proposal for the integration and interoperability of information systems, aligning with the SNICC and the national MRV system defined by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.

Project Reference: ["CO-23-006t"] Colombia - Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) – Waste sector