Delterra request Leaders to Reduce Methane Emissions

McKinsey & Company-founded global environmental NGO Delterra is urging world leaders gathered in Egypt for COP27 to take decisive action to reduce methane emissions from garbage in order to stay below the 1.5°C objective.

The Big Methane-Cutting Opportunity, a new paper from Delterra, demonstrates how doable steps may be taken to prevent these methane emissions, which are 80 times more potent than CO2 in the short term, by diverting organics (such as food waste) from landfills.

Considering that up to 80% of garbage in some parts of the Global South is organic, taking steps to separate and treat this material is not only a climate opportunity but also lowers landfill volumes, increases the recyclable content of other materials, and creates new market opportunities.

Delterra’s report focuses on four actions that could significantly encourage the expansion of better organic waste management to reduce emissions.

Delterra

These actions are based on their experience completely overhauling waste and recycling systems for regions in Indonesia and Argentina:

Encourage the use of products for treating organic waste

the profitability gap must be closed

Make the more affordable choice for treating organic waste

Boost the effectiveness of treatment centres

One year has passed since world leaders agreed to reduce methane emissions at COP26. The Global Methane Pledge, which states that “the single most effective strategy to keep the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 °C within reach” is to “rapidly reduce methane emissions from energy, agriculture, and waste,” has been signed by 130 nations as of today.

Little progress has been made thus far, and some signs point to an increase in methane emission levels over the past year. Delterra is pleading with world leaders to act right away with the tried-and-true solutions mentioned in this research, such as managing organic waste differently from other waste streams.

The garbage sector emits the third-highest amount of greenhouse gases after the agricultural and electricity industries.

The trash industry is the third largest emitter of methane after the agricultural and energy industries, accounting for 14–20% of all methane emissions worldwide. The summits are not paying enough attention to or taking enough action to improve waste management and address the climate catastrophe.

According to Jeremy Douglas, director of partnerships at Delterra, “Kitchens and gardens around the world have tremendous potential climate activities. Delterra has demonstrated that behaviour change is possible to segregate organic waste, divert it from landfills, and process it in a way that doesn’t emit methane. Every city and nation should use it since it is an easy and affordable solution to cut these dangerous greenhouse gas emissions.

Governments, NGOs, and charitable donors can collaborate.