Whitepaper on Carbon Finance for Municipal Solid Waste in Developing Countries – Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)

Report on Municipal Solid Waste Management and Sustainable Development Goals

The Challenge of Inadequate Waste Management in Developing Countries

The management of municipal solid waste in developing nations presents a significant challenge to sustainable development. Current practices are frequently insufficient, leading to severe environmental and social consequences that directly impede progress on several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• SDG 13 (Climate Action): Poorly managed waste, particularly from landfills, is a major source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. These emissions contribute directly to climate change.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Ineffective waste management degrades urban environments, reduces quality of life, and poses risks to public health, undermining the goal of creating safe, resilient, and sustainable cities.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) & SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Uncontrolled waste disposal pollutes air, soil, and water sources, increasing the incidence of disease and compromising access to clean water.

The Role and Limitations of Carbon Finance

Carbon finance presents a viable mechanism for enhancing the financial feasibility of improved waste management projects. By monetizing the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, it creates an incentive for investment in technologies and practices that support climate action.

However, an exclusive reliance on current carbon finance mechanisms is insufficient to overcome systemic barriers. While it supports key objectives, its impact must be amplified through a more comprehensive strategy.

A Framework for Achieving Sustainable Waste Management

To effectively address systemic inefficiencies and attract the long-term investment required for sustainable change, carbon finance must be integrated into a broader, supportive framework. This framework should be structured to advance multiple SDGs simultaneously.

1. Integrate Performance-Based Mechanisms: Complementary financing models that reward verified outcomes are needed to ensure projects deliver tangible environmental and social benefits, directly contributing to targets within SDG 11 and SDG 13.
2. Establish Supportive Policy and Regulatory Environments: Governments must create and enforce clear policies that institutionalize sustainable waste management practices. This fosters a stable environment for investment and aligns national strategy with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
3. Build Institutional Capacity: Strengthening local and national institutions is critical for the long-term success and regulation of waste management systems.
4. Foster Strategic Partnerships: Attracting sustainable investment requires collaboration between public, private, and international entities, embodying the principles of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) to mobilize finance, technology, and expertise.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The article’s core subject is the poor management of municipal solid waste, which is a key challenge for urban sustainability.
• SDG 13: Climate Action – The text directly mentions “high methane emissions” resulting from poor waste management and the goal of achieving “emission reductions,” linking the issue directly to climate change mitigation.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – The article discusses the role of “carbon finance,” the need to “attract sustainable investment,” and implementing “supportive policy, regulatory, and institutional framework[s]” in developing countries, all of which relate to mobilizing resources and creating partnerships to achieve sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. The article’s focus on how “Municipal solid waste in developing countries is often poorly managed resulting in… environmental harm” directly addresses this target.

2. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article’s call for a “supportive policy, regulatory, and institutional framework” to manage methane emissions and support carbon finance mechanisms is a direct example of integrating climate action into national planning.

3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.3: Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources. The article explicitly discusses “carbon finance” as a tool to “improve project viability” and the need to “attract sustainable investment,” which aligns with this target of mobilizing finance for developing nations.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 11.6: The article implies the need to measure the proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities. It states that waste is “poorly managed,” suggesting that a key metric for improvement would be tracking the percentage of waste that is handled properly to reduce “environmental harm.”
• Indicator for Target 13.2: The text directly points to total greenhouse gas emissions, specifically methane. The mention of “high methane emissions” and the goal of “monetizing emission reductions” establishes that the volume of methane released from the waste sector is a critical indicator of progress.
• Indicator for Target 17.3: The article implies the measurement of financial flows to developing countries for sustainable development projects. The discussion of “carbon finance” and the need to “attract sustainable investment” suggests that tracking the amount of capital mobilized for waste management projects is a relevant indicator.

4. SDGs, Targets and Indicators Identified in the Article

Source: ccacoalition.org