Search Climate Insights Directory

The report argues that commercial insect farming in high-income, temperate regions often fails to meet its theoretical sustainability promises. While insects have lower greenhouse gas emissions than beef, they often perform worse than the soymeal and fishmeal they are intended to replace. The authors identify seven key challenges: outdated life cycle assessments, under-utilization of organic waste as feed, limited substitution of meat in human diets, the reinforcement of industrial animal agriculture through use as feed, biodiversity risks from unintentional releases, emerging animal welfare concerns, and the opportunity cost of diverting investment from more promising plant-based or cultivated proteins.

The document highlights the critical role of waste characterization in reducing methane emissions, which account for nearly 20% of global totals. It details available global tools for emissions estimation, examines the varied regulatory approaches to waste data in several Latin American countries, and advocates for the integration of field-based assessments with satellite monitoring to identify methane super-emitters.

The report assesses the circular economy (CE) strategies of Bogotá and Buenos Aires, identifying a common over-reliance on waste management and a lack of holistic, long-term visions. It emphasizes the critical role of the informal waste sector, which supports millions of livelihoods in the region, and advocates for their formal integration into urban governance. Key recommendations include adopting the 10-R framework to move beyond recycling toward refusing and rethinking consumption, improving waste infrastructure, and implementing extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes.

The document outlines the state of methane emissions in Brazil's waste sector, identifying that 15% of national methane emissions in 2022 came from waste, with 68% of those originating from solid waste disposal. It details the institutional framework, current waste management statistics, and key challenges such as low recycling rates and the persistence of open dumps, while recommending improvements in organic waste treatment, landfill gas recovery, and regulatory enforcement.

The report analyzes the Oko Oba Abattoir's anaerobic digestion (AD) facility, finding that while the current 'business-as-usual' (BAU) model is economically viable with a 6% IRR, scaling the facility to achieve a 100% fuel switch from charcoal to biogas would increase the IRR to 14%. The study highlights that high upfront capital expenditures (CAPEX) are a primary barrier to private investment, suggesting that grants, low-interest loans, and investment tax credits could improve project economics. Environmentally, the project reduces methane emissions by up to 726 MT/year and improves local air quality by avoiding PM2.5 emissions from charcoal burning. The facility is currently non-operational due to storm damage and requires approximately $21,400 for repairs.

The document identifies significant methane leaks at the Kossihouen Technical Landfill and Valorization Center (CVET) and highlights that organic waste comprises over 60% of waste in Abidjan and Bouaké. It recommends improving landfill gas recovery, diverting organic waste through composting or anaerobic digestion, and enhancing stakeholder engagement, including the informal sector.

The document outlines the transition from traditional first-order decay (FOD) models to advanced monitoring technologies, including handheld analyzers, drones, and remote sensing via aircraft and satellites, to better quantify waste-sector methane emissions. It highlights that up to 80% of these emissions can be eliminated with existing technology, often at low or negative costs. The guide also details international efforts such as the Global Methane Pledge and the LOW-Methane Initiative to drive mitigation and investment.

The author argues that food waste is a critical but often overlooked component of climate action plans, noting that food waste in the US generates 170 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually. The document highlights the EPA's $4.6 billion CPRG program as a key funding opportunity for governments to implement scalable waste reduction projects, citing California's Senate Bill 1383 as a model for curbing organic waste in landfills.

Colombia is the third largest methane emitter from the waste sector in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2018, the waste sector contributed 7% of national greenhouse gas emissions, with 93.4% of those emissions being methane. While the country has a regulatory framework for general waste management, it lacks specific national policies for methane reduction. Key challenges include a tariff system that disincentivizes organic waste diversion and a lack of disaggregated data on waste flows. The document recommends developing a national methane mitigation strategy, revising tariffs to reflect actual capital costs for organic treatment, and improving the technical robustness of municipal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plans (PGIRS).

The document outlines Mexico's waste sector emissions, the institutional framework for waste management, and the specific challenges and opportunities for methane mitigation.

The document explores the potential of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae as an alternative source of chitin and its derivatives (chitosan and glucosamine), reducing reliance on crustacean aquaculture. It highlights a significant opportunity in South Africa, where approximately 10.3 million tonnes of food waste could potentially yield between 4,258 and 9,036 tonnes of BSF chitin annually, with a theoretical optimistic value of up to $498 million. While the global market for chitin products is projected to grow to $24.9 billion by 2030, the document identifies barriers such as high production costs, lack of industrial-scale extraction expertise in South Africa, and onerous regulatory registration processes. It suggests focusing on niche, high-quality products for biomedical and pharmaceutical sectors and leveraging urban waste streams to strengthen the business case.

The guide outlines how state, local, and tribal governments can utilize CPRG funding to reduce methane emissions by implementing upstream organic waste diversion and downstream landfill gas controls. It emphasizes the use of 20-year global warming potential (GWP) for GHG inventories to highlight the urgency of methane action and details specific policy measures, such as organic waste bans and advanced monitoring technology, to achieve rapid emissions reductions and community benefits.

The document argues that current US federal standards for landfill methane are insufficient and proposes a two-pronged approach: enhancing the monitoring and capture of methane from waste already in place and reducing the disposal of organic materials. It highlights that landfill methane emissions may be underestimated by a factor of two and that 54% of reporting landfills have adjacent communities exceeding national averages for low-income or people of color populations. Proposed solutions include the use of satellites, drones, and continuous sensors for leak detection, the adoption of biocovers, and the diversion of food waste to composting or anaerobic digestion. The authors call on the EPA to implement more ambitious federal standards under the Clean Air Act during its 2024 review.

The report argues that Canada cannot reach its 2050 net-zero goals through energy transitions alone, as material extraction and processing account for a significant portion of global emissions. It identifies key opportunities in the steel, cement, plastics, and organic waste sectors, emphasizing that reducing primary demand and extending product lifespans offer greater emission reductions than recycling alone. The document highlights the lack of comprehensive national circularity plans in Canada compared to leaders like Japan and the EU, and recommends implementing digital product passports, carbon pricing, and updated building codes to accelerate the transition.

The report finds a significant 'value-action gap' in Bangkok households, where high reported commitment to waste sorting does not match the fact that 75% of household waste is thrown out as trash. Organic waste is the primary contributor to this gap, comprising 90% of waste discarded as trash. The study highlights that economic incentives and collective action are the strongest drivers of behaviour, while a lack of knowledge on composting and perceived futility when municipal collectors mix waste act as barriers. The authors recommend prioritising organic waste management, integrating informal waste workers into formal systems, and implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to address economic barriers to recycling.

The waste sector is responsible for approximately 20% of human-driven methane emissions globally, primarily from the anaerobic breakdown of organic waste in landfills and dumps. With global waste generation projected to increase by 73% by 2050, the document argues that reducing methane is critical for slowing global warming and meeting Paris Agreement goals. It proposes a modified waste hierarchy focusing on food waste prevention, organic waste diversion (via composting and anaerobic digestion), and improved landfill design and dump rehabilitation. The brief highlights successful regional policies, such as South Korea's weight-based food waste collection and India's waste segregation rules, while noting that up to 60% of mitigation measures have low or negative costs.

The 2022 Waste Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape identifies significant value-add potential in the waste sectors of Cape Town and the Western Cape, estimating a total potential of R320 million to R5 billion annually. The report highlights organic waste as the greatest opportunity, driven by provincial landfill restrictions aiming for 100% diversion by 2027 and the City of Cape Town's (CCT) goal of 100% organic waste diversion by 2027. Key drivers include rising landfill gate fees—with the CCT having the highest metropolitan fee in South Africa at R557 per tonne (excl. VAT)—and the implementation of mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for paper, packaging, electronics, and lighting as of November 2021. The report details specific opportunities in black soldier fly larvae production, biogas, and composting, while noting barriers such as inadequate source separation and the lack of reliable e-waste data. It also outlines the CCT's planned investments in four new material recovery facilities (MRFs) and its strategic shift toward a circular waste economy.

The report identifies significant economic potential in South Africa's waste sector, particularly through the transition toward a circular economy. It highlights the City of Cape Town as a primary hub for waste beneficiation due to its high landfill gate fees and substantial investments in material recovery facilities. Key growth drivers include the 2020 National Waste Management Strategy, new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, and provincial landfill restrictions on organic waste. While the plastics and e-waste sectors show strong potential for virgin material replacement and national processing, challenges such as inadequate source separation, data gaps, and the volatility of virgin plastic prices persist.

The report inventories organic waste in Naivasha, Kenya, identifying significant potential for resource recovery from wastewater, faecal sludge, municipal solid waste, and agro-industrial residues. It highlights existing initiatives such as biogas production at Gorge Farm Energy Park and briquette manufacturing by Sanivation, while noting critical data gaps and stakeholder conflicts in waste collection.

The V&A Waterfront in Cape Town has diverted over 11,000 tonnes of waste from landfills over five years, reducing disposal costs by up to 36%. The precinct focuses on organic waste due to its high volume—nearly 70% of landfill waste—and its impact on climate change. Key initiatives include source separation, a waste tariff structure to incentivise tenants, green leases, and the use of an 'eco-intelligence dashboard' for real-time data. The project has resulted in annual GHG emission savings of 4,147 tonnes and the creation of 86 permanent daily jobs. The long-term goal is zero waste to landfill by 2023, with plans for an on-site waste-to-energy plant.