The objective of this report is to develop a set of public policy recommendations to overcome the main barriers that prevent the implementation of methane mitigation actions in the sector, specifically in the management of the organic fraction of solid waste.
The first section of the report Institutional Structure: Basic Requirements for Functional Governance focuses on the institutional framework that is needed to implement the recommendations presented in this report. The institutional set-up must have the capacity to execute the necessary actions to overcome the barriers that prevent the solid waste sector from moving towards managing the mitigation of methane emissions. Hence, the first section defines four sector institutions with clearly defined roles and responsibilities that do not overlap.
After clarifying the roles within the institutional structure, the report continues with a list of concrete tools that these actors can use to plan and strengthen organic waste management and achieve the reduction of the associated methane emissions. Each of these sections also includes case studies that exemplify the successful implementation of the tools listed in various national and local contexts.
The section Strategic planning and organic waste requirements discusses how organic waste should be included explicitly in the public policy framework within planning instruments. Without a clear perspective in national level planning, it is difficult to implement concrete projects on the ground.
After generating a planning framework, it is recommended to initiate voluntary actions and implement incentives to direct citizens towards concrete action. Subsequently, once the country has a clearly defined strategic orientation with respect to methane mitigation from the waste sector, the next step is to establish legal mandates that allow progress towards the defined objectives, including sanctions for noncompliance directed at different actors in the sector.
The next section of the report, Sustainable financing to enable improvements, focuses on the issue of financing. Access to financing and sustainability of management services is one of the most relevant barriers for the sector.
The following section of the report, Capacities to address the organic fraction, covers the importance of strengthening the capacities of the different actors in the sector to manage organic waste, which is fundamental and involves working with the municipal level and the private sector.
The report then presents the recommendations for oversight under the section Effective enforcement to achieve compliance with regulations. The section discusses the importance of ensuring the existence of an independent oversight body that has the resources to reach the entire territory and that has a compliance-oriented sanctioning scheme that allows it to carry out its role effectively.
Then, the section Active collaboration of citizens presents the concept of citizen input as a fundamental aspect for the development of organic waste management systems that function efficiently and generate high quality products. Initially, tools are presented to promote a cultural change to encourage citizens to implement sustainable waste management practices at the source with voluntary programs.
Finally, the section Compliance with biogas capture and flaring requirements presents how the potential for reducing emissions from biogas capture and flaring is immense, given that final disposal is the most widespread management mechanism in the countries studied.
The report then presents country-specific recommendations based on the barriers identified for each and using the tools presented in the previous sections. Finally, a Policy Toolbox is also included to allow quick reference and identification of tools by type (i.e., mandates, targets, incentives, financing mechanisms, taxes, tax exemptions, subsidies, standards, sanctions, and crosscutting measures).