On 11 December 2024, UN Trade and Development, UN Habitat and GCH co-organized the webinar “Enhancing Local-global dialogue for Sustainable Water and Solid Waste Management in Urban Areas: implications for trade and cities development”.
The rapid urbanization of the global population, with over 4.4 billion people currently residing in cities, has intensified challenges related to waste management. As cities expand, the generation of municipal wastewater, solid waste (both organic and inorganic fractions), and greenhouse gas emissions increases significantly.
International organizations, such as UN Trade and Development, UN-Habitat, and UNEP are pivotal in assisting cities to achieve sustainable waste management goals. Their roles include knowledge sharing, policy support, capacity building, and facilitating investment.
A transformative approach, involving a shift from unsustainable consumption and production patterns towards a circular economy across the various fractions of solid waste and water management, is essential. International organizations, by fostering cooperation with Local and Regional Governments (LRGs), can play a critical role in supporting cities to achieve water and solid waste management and material recovery goals that align with global sustainability objectives (SDG 6, 11, 12 and 14).
Waste reduction, collection, disposal and recycling are crucial areas on their own and together in a holistic manner. Garbage is a challenge: 80% of waste is disposed improperly. But it is also wealth, and bad management is a missed opportunity. Waste management is closely linked to health, food security, social well-being, employment and environmental protection. Successfully localizing SDGs will not be possible without financing circularity at the local level.
LRGs need to work together with service providers, the private sector – including the informal sector – and individuals. Explaining the relevant local strategy to all stakeholders and investing in capacity building might have a positive contribution. The examples shared by Accra (Ghana) and reflections from others like Durban (South Africa) were valuable contributions to the discussion.
As speakers concluded: the different actors in the waste management chain are the ones recreating wealth from waste, and it can be amplified if we move from landfill disposal to added value creation. More dialogue between local, national and international stakeholders would contribute to making it happen.
Thank you all speakers and participants for the valuable discussion. We are looking forward to further collaboration on this important issue.
See the event and the presentations here: https://unctad.org/meeting/webinar-enhancing-local-global-dialogue-sustainable-water-and-solid-waste-management-urban