At the Global Climate Action Summit, the C40 network launched the declaration: “.” 聽Twenty three cities and regions have signed on, including San Francisco, Auckland, Catalonia, Copenhagen, Dubai, London, Milan, Montreal, New York City, Paris, Rotterdam, Sydney, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington D.C. The participating cities have committed to reduce the municipal solid waste generation per capita by at least 15% by 2030 compared to 2015, reduce the amount of municipal solid waste disposed to landfill and incineration by at least 50% by 2030 compared to 2015, and increase the diversion rate away from landfill and incineration to at least 70% by 2030.
鈥淭his move signals that cities around the world are waking up to the dangers of waste incineration and are taking concrete steps to reduce their waste instead of burning it,鈥� says Christie Keith, Executive Director of GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives). 鈥淭he cities who have signed on to this pledge are setting an example for other municipalities around the world to pursue true zero waste.鈥�
Waste reduction is a critical part of combating climate change, as waste generation is directly linked to global resource extraction, transportation, processing, and manufacturing. Studies show that waste reduction, recycling, composting, etc. could lead to a reduction of up to 20% of the global greenhouse gas emissions.
鈥淲e congratulate signatories on their commitments to prioritizing waste reduction and phasing out waste burning, and encourage other cities to sign on as well,鈥� says Joan Marc Simon, Executive Director of Zero Waste Europe. 鈥淢ost importantly, we are eager to see these commitments translate into practice.鈥�
The declaration鈥檚 emphasis on phasing out waste incineration as part of cities鈥� zero waste goals is critical for the future of our planet. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), both landfills and incinerators (euphemistically referred to as 鈥渨aste to energy鈥�) contribute far higher levels of greenhouse gas emissions and overall energy throughout their life cycles than source reduction, reuse and recycling of the same materials. Incineration also drives a climate changing cycle of new resources pulled out of the earth, processed in factories, shipped around the world, and then wasted in incinerators and landfills.
鈥淚f the goals of this declaration are achieved in a just, inclusive way it will be a big step forward for our climate,鈥� says Anne Larracas, Managing Director for GAIA Asia Pacific. 鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping that this will be a tipping point for other cities to sign on and agree to move away from incinerators and landfills and implement instead real zero waste policies as a main strategy to mitigate climate change.鈥�
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