Waste plays a significant role in releasing massive amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming.
The waste sector is responsible for releasing about 20% of total methane emissions and 3.3% of total greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the exacerbation of global warming and the increase in average global temperatures. This impacts human and animal lives, the ecosystem, and its services.
The World Bank predicts a 73% increase in waste quantities from 2.24 billion tons in 2020 to 3.88 billion tons by 2050, which means an increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
Sources of waste emissions
There are many reasons and sources for greenhouse gas emissions from waste, including:
1- Landfill
Humans have become accustomed to disposing of waste as a form of cleanliness, leaving it outdoors to decompose and disappear over time. Organic waste, which includes vegetables and food materials, constitutes about 65% of total waste.
However, the truth is that this waste causes greenhouse gas emissions, the most notable of which is a gas known as "landfill gas" (LFG), a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide.
2: Waste incineration
Often, incinerating waste is a quick way to dispose of it, especially since waste decomposition in natural conditions takes years. However, burning waste releases carbon dioxide emissions, which further contribute to the increase in greenhouse gases emitted by human activities and ultimately lead to global warming.
3: Collection, transportation, and processing of waste
Despite efforts to manage waste healthily, it requires effort and equipment that produces carbon dioxide emissions during collection and transportation. These processes necessitate the burning of fossil fuels, releasing emissions until the waste reaches the processing site. There, the need may arise to use machines powered by fossil fuels to complete the processing.
Continuous increase
The "Global Waste Management Outlook for 2024" report revealed the expected growth in waste, along with its management cost, from $252 billion in 2020 to $640.3 billion by 2050. But by taking the necessary measures to prevent waste and manage it well, we can reduce the cost of management by 2050 to 270.2 billion USD.
As the financial COP, the parties aim during the COP29 events, which will take place in Azerbaijan from November 11 to 22, to find the necessary funding to address the climate crisis. The waste sector comes with the goal of obtaining the necessary funding to support waste management processes.
