International expert workshop on “Solid Waste Management and Green Economy”

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held in June 2012 (Rio+20) ranked green economy as one of the major international concerns. The conference highlighted that the current consumption and production methods relating to economic and population growth have led to overexploitation of natural resources and seriously damaged the environment and ecosystem balance. Good environmental governance and the optimization of scarce resources are even more crucial in such a context that is highly vulnerable to climate change and economic and budgetary constraints.

Beyond appraising the state of solid waste management, based on the most recent data, the project will produce a policy-oriented report that evaluates the progress towards the realization of sustainable waste management targets and assesses current policies. Ultimately, the report will propose alternative policies and remedial action.

The project has started in February 2015. An IAP call for participation has been launched and disseminated among science academies worldwide with a deadline of April 30, 2015. The call encourages active participation of junior/senior experts in the fields of solid waste management, environmental science, green economy and sustainable development. Experts are encouraged to participate in this report by submitting proposals, best practice case studies, in particular in the following areas: Investing in benefits from greening the waste sector, enabling conditions for greening waste sector such as such as financing, economic incentives, policy and regulatory measures, and institutional arrangements.

The work on the report is on the way. It will cover waste management and green economy in three world regions; (1) countries with advanced economies (G8), (2) transition and emerging economy countries (BRICS), and (3) developing economies. A sub-group consisting of experts and research assistants is working on each of the three regions.

The project received abstracts from experts from all over the world. Submitted were case studies from individual countries sharing knowledge on relevant policies and ongoing initiatives in their region, analysis of perceptions, practices and business expectations relating waste management to the green economy, and highlighting the role of the industrial sector in the development of the green economy.

Expert Workshop

An expert workshop on “Solid Waste Management and Green Economy” is co-sponsored by Leopoldina is scheduled on 22-23 October, 2015 in Halle, Germany.

Report on Solid Waste Management and Green Economy

The final outcome is a policy report on “Solid Waste Management and Green Economy”. The report will motivate and assist governments and businesses in making a transition to the green economy. It articulates enabling public policies, business models, green investment opportunities, innovative approaches, and case studies, and addresses the sector of waste management.