Global Waste Sector Methane

The waste sector is the third largest source of human-driven methane emissions, contributing 18% of global anthropogenic methane in 2020, with municipal solid waste accounting for 11% and wastewater for 7%. Mitigation efforts are currently hindered by a lack of data on landfills and dumpsites and limited access to evidence-based best practices. To address this, the Clean Air Task Force and RMI are launching the Waste Methane Assessment Platform (Waste MAP), an open-source online tool designed to improve data availability, provide a heat map of emissions, and offer strategic playbooks for mitigation. In 2023, the initiative includes engagement in six countries: Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador (via CATF), and India, Nigeria, and the United States (via RMI), providing technical assistance and capacity building to help these nations meet the Global Methane Pledge and other greenhouse gas targets.

• The waste sector represents the third largest source of human-driven methane emissions, contributing 18% of global anthropogenic methane emissions in 2020. This total is comprised of municipal solid waste at 11% and wastewater at 7%.
• Methane is identified as a critical target for short-term climate action because it is more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a climate change driver and has contributed nearly half of the warming of one degree Celsius to date.
• Efforts to scale cost-effective methane mitigation in the waste sector are obstructed by a lack of data regarding emissions from dumpsites and landfills, as well as a lack of access to evidence-based mitigation measures and best practices.
• The Waste Methane Assessment Platform (Waste MAP) is an open-source tool launching in 2023 to improve global waste sector data robustness and transparency. It will feature a methane emissions heat map, strategic playbooks, and case studies to help achieve the Global Methane Pledge.
• In 2023, Waste MAP will conduct country engagement activities in six nations: Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador through CATF, and India, Nigeria, and the United States through RMI.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (n.d.). Global Waste Sector Methane. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/26095019/waste-methane-factsheet.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Global Waste Sector Methane. n.d. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/26095019/waste-methane-factsheet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Global Waste Sector Methane |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/26095019/waste-methane-factsheet.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforcendglobal, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Global Waste Sector Methane}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/26095019/waste-methane-factsheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }