The waste sector is a major contributor to planet-warming methane emissions, the third largest source behind agriculture and the oil and gas industry. Because methane is a super-potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential more than 80 times greater than CO2 in the near term, addressing this short-lived climate pollutant is key to limiting temperature rise. What if we could identify sites where waste methane is escaping into the atmosphere, pinpoint the sources, and implement evidence-based reduction measures?
The Waste Methane Assessment Platform (WasteMAP), a joint RMI and Clean Air Task Force (CATF) effort funded by the Global Methane Hub and Google.org, was created to give policymakers, landfill operators, municipalities, and other sector stakeholders improved access to waste methane emissions data, enhance their understanding of mitigation opportunities, and share best practices to reduce solid waste methane emissions.
The WasteMAP initiative consists of two parts:
- An online platform designed to collect and improve access to global waste sector data, enable methane emissions transparency, and identify areas for priority intervention.
- Country engagement with subnational and national stakeholders to help build capacity for waste management and provide technical assistance for specific mitigation measures.