Paraguay - Actions to improve organic waste management and reduce methane emissions in medium and small communities

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Year
2024
2027
Beneficiaries
Paraguay
Funding
CCAC Funded
Implementing partners
Centre for Clean Air Policy

Rationale

As of 2019 3.4% of Paraguay's total CO2eq emissions come from the waste sector (2,135 kt), 43% of which comes from final disposal and 5% from open burning. Sector emissions have increased by 116% from 1990 to 2019, mostly due to rapid population growth and the resulting increase in the generation of liquid and solid waste. Methane represents 94% of waste sector emissions. 

Paraguay’s National Urban Waste Management Plan (NUWMP) outlines a strategy to address gaps in the waste sector by introducing a model where households separate waste into organic, recyclable, and non-recoverable streams, with a focus on organics.

Several small and medium-sized composting and vermicomposting initiatives have been active in Paraguay, and work directly with households or obtain feedstock from large generators such as supermarkets (Casa Rica). Large-scale agro-industries also compost their waste. 

However, municipal support for these initiatives is very limited. There is little experience with anaerobic digestion technologies and, according to the NUWMP, 100% of landfill sites are poorly managed, resulting in minimal experience with gas capture technology.

This project aims to promote methane mitigation in Paraguay by enhancing organic waste management and reducing emissions at national and subnational levels. It will collaborate with national and local governments and the private sector to develop and improve frameworks for organic waste treatment, identify and support sustainable projects, and conduct pre-feasibility studies and MRV systems. 

The project will also assess financial instruments to support the most promising projects, develop implementation plans, and organise workshops with key stakeholders. 

KEY OUTCOMES

The project supports Madagascar to: 

  • Integrate methane, black carbon, and HFC mitigation into Madagascar's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0). 

  • Develop scientific evidence and spatial emissions analyses to support evidence-based climate policy. 

  • Strengthen institutional capacity for measuring, reporting and implementing SLCP mitigation actions. 

  • Identify priority mitigation opportunities across agriculture, waste, energy, land use, and cooling sectors. 

  • Support enhanced climate ambition while maximizing climate, health and sustainable development co-benefits. 

Enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) 

Using CCAC guidance, methodologies and analytical tools, the project supported the Government of Madagascar in strengthening the integration of methane, black carbon and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) into the country's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0). The resulting analysis strengthened non-COâ‚‚ climate ambition by identifying quantified mitigation pathways, priority sectors, and opportunities to maximize climate, air quality and sustainable development benefits.  

National assessment of short-lived climate pollutants 

The project produced Madagascar's first integrated national assessment of short-lived climate pollutants, combining satellite observations, spatial modelling, emissions projections and scenario analysis. The assessment identified emissions hotspots, projected future emissions under different development pathways through 2035, and recommended priority mitigation measures to inform national climate policy, investment planning and future reporting under the Paris Agreement. 

Strengthened capacity for SLCP implementation 

The project strengthened national capacity to translate enhanced climate ambition into implementation by supporting the development of an SLCP Action Plan and accompanying policy briefs. Through technical engagement with national institutions, the project improved understanding of priority mitigation actions, strengthened evidence-based policymaking, and enhanced the Government's capacity to implement and monitor SLCP mitigation measures across key sectors. 

 

 

Partners 

  • Government of Madagascar 

  • Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development 

  • BNCREDD+ 

  • National climate and technical institutions 

  • Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) 

Resources 

  • Madagascar Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) 

 

Project Reference: MG-25-002t – Including SLCPs into Madagascar’s NDC3.0  

Tags
Pollutants (SLCPs)
Methane