Strengthening the Synergies between Waste, Climate and the SDGs

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) contains organic waste such as food and market waste. This organic component accounts for 20-30% of total waste in developed countries, and 50-70% in developing countries. Proper treatment of this organic component is now the focus of global discussions in relation to effective resource utilisation in the context of SDGs as well as climate change.

Organic waste management can be discussed from the following two perspectives.
(1) Waste as a subject which may cause adverse impact on the environment, and how to treat it in an appropriate manner,
(2) Waste as a possible resource for our use, and how to maximize the use of this waste.

Both perspectives should be considered at the same time in principle. However, depending on social, economic and environmental circumstances, stakeholders have different interests and therefore, the adopted technology also differs.

Utilisation of organic waste as a resource has been attempted in both developed and developing countries using anaerobic digestion technology.
This session aims to discuss the benefits of organic waste treatment technology with multi-stakeholders who have experience of anaerobic fermentation to enhance implementation actions, maximise benefits, and strengthen partnerships towards more sustainable and efficient resource management.