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This case study by the Climate Policy Initiative, coordinated by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), analyzes waste management business models in Indonesia and Brazil. It highlights a significant funding gap for organic waste management compared to waste-to-energy incinerators and argues that decentralized, community-based, and informal models offer greater cost efficiency and co-benefits, despite facing financial strain and a lack of legal certainty.

This fact sheet presents the results of a candidate survey conducted by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE BC) for the Vancouver by-election on April 5, 2025. The survey evaluates candidates' positions on health and climate policy, including green space, active transportation, building emissions, and regional air quality.

This case study by RMI evaluates the economic and environmental impact of an anaerobic digestion (AD) facility at the Oko Oba Abattoir in Lagos, Nigeria. The analysis compares a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario with scaling options to replace charcoal fuel and diversify biogas use, concluding that while the project is economically viable, high upfront capital costs remain a significant barrier to private investment.

This case study describes the activities of the Namungona Women Empowerment Initiative, a savings group in Kampala, Uganda, and its founder Esther Mirembe. It details how the group uses collective savings and waste-to-value projects to build economic resilience and adapt to climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

This 2021 industry brief by GreenCape outlines the market opportunity for circular economy solutions to manage wastewater sludge in the City of Cape Town (CCT). Driven by national and provincial landfill bans on liquid and organic wastes, the CCT is transitioning toward anaerobic digestion via Biosolids Beneficiation Facilities (BBFs) to produce treated digestate cake and recover energy and nutrients.

This case study profiles Acacia Innovations, a winner of the 2020 Energy Access Booster Award, which produces and distributes Kuni Safi briquettes made from sugarcane waste to schools and small businesses in Kenya to reduce deforestation and improve health.

This case study by GreenCape details the waste management strategies implemented by the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town to divert organic and general waste from landfills, highlighting the financial and environmental benefits of their approach.

This case study examines how Elgin Fruit Juice in South Africa addressed seasonal energy demand imbalances by transitioning from a planned grid-feed electricity model to using biogas as a coal replacement in steam boilers.

This 2020 investment prospectus by GreenCape identifies business opportunities to transform the Montague Gardens and Atlantis industrial areas in Cape Town into eco-industrial parks (EIPs). Using Material Flow Analysis (MFA), the report highlights under-utilised resource streams—such as boiler ash, treated wood, and foundry sand—and proposes infrastructure investments in waste-to-energy and water reuse to build business resilience and resource efficiency.

This report details a trade mission from the Netherlands to Cape Town, South Africa, held from May 22-25, 2018. Organized by GreenCape in cooperation with the Netherlands Government, the mission focused on the circular economy and biomass valorisation, specifically targeting organic wet streams, invasive species, construction and demolition waste, plastics, and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes the process and benefits of using anaerobic digestion to convert organic waste—including livestock manure, food waste, and wastewater—into biogas. It outlines the potential for biogas to provide baseload power, reduce methane emissions, and create jobs in the United States, while detailing the regulatory frameworks and funding programs that support the industry.

A collection of five South African case studies detailing value-addition methods for livestock value chain residues, focusing on biogas production, insect protein, and composting.

This research paper examines the material composition and carbon content of mixed municipal solid waste combusted at the first waste incineration plant in Estonia and the Baltic States to determine the ratio of biogenic to fossil carbon.

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This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the transition of Sweden's heating energy system toward low-carbon sources. While highlighting the success of district heating and heat pumps in reducing fossil fuel reliance, the document warns of systemic 'lock-ins' and a lack of focus on reducing energy demand, which may hinder future climate and efficiency goals.

The 2016 Waste Economy Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape analyzes the transition of South Africa's waste sector from a landfill-centric model toward a more sustainable, resource-efficient economy. It highlights significant opportunities for recycling and alternative waste treatment, particularly in the Western Cape, while detailing the regulatory shifts and financial incentives available to greentech investors.

This case study examines the sustainable urban development of Hammarby Sjöstad in Stockholm, Sweden, evaluating it against 12 Green Guidelines. The district is presented as an economically and environmentally successful model of infill development on a former industrial brownfield, utilizing a closed-loop 'Hammarby Model' to integrate waste, energy, and water systems. The report details the planning process, financing mechanisms, and the role of a multi-disciplinary Project Team in achieving high sustainability targets.

The 2015 GreenCape Market Intelligence Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the waste economy in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It examines the market for dry recyclables, organic waste, construction and demolition waste, and waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies, while detailing the regulatory barriers and investment opportunities within the sector.

The 2014 Market Intelligent Report: Waste Economy by GreenCape provides an analysis of the waste sector in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It details the regulatory shift from 'end of pipe' to 'cradle to cradle' solutions, examines the challenges of waste-to-energy and recycling projects, and outlines municipal initiatives to manage dwindling landfill airspace.

The Greencape Market Intelligence Report 2014: Waste examines the regulatory and economic landscape of the waste sector in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It details the transition from end-of-pipe to cradle-to-cradle waste management, the challenges of municipal procurement and licensing, and the development of waste-to-energy and recycling industries.