[2024] High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) Side Event on Partnerships for Addressing the Waste Crisis and Accelerating Circularity

Friday, 12 July 2024 - 1:15pm to 2:30pm

Documents

Concept Note and Agenda (updated as of 8 July 2024)

 

Recording

https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1q/k1q75yst63

 

Background

The objective of this side event is to launch a new policy support platform and publication aimed at assisting UN Member States to bridge data, technical, capacity and finance gaps in advancing resource circularity in solid waste management (SWM), through a life-cycle approach.

  • Humanity generates an estimated 2.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) annually and waste generation could rise by more than 77% by the end of 2050.
  • Only 62% of MSW is managed in controlled facilities across the world.
  • Approximately, 90% of waste in low-income countries is discarded in unregulated dumps or burned openly.
  • The waste sector contributes an estimated 20% of human-caused methane emissions

These trends and statistics underscore an alarming situation that disproportionately affects poor and vulnerable communities, particularly women and children working informally in waste picking. Inadequate data potentially underestimates the waste crisis and limits the reach and impact of policy for these communities and the ability to address negative environmental externalities. Therefore, the event will also examine the interlinkages between climate change, poverty and solid waste management. It will also explore solutions, at global and national levels – including the ongoing negotiations related to the Global Plastics Treaty.

While waste is directly related to key targets under the SDGs, in reality waste management and resource circularity impacts all 17 SDGs. Improving national waste management is essential to confront the triple planetary crisis of pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change. This striking reality urgently calls for national governments to accelerate their progress on evidence-based policy for a waste to resources approach.

 

Dates and Venue

The Side Event will be held on Friday, 12 July 2024 from 13:15 to 14:30 (EST), Conference room 8, United Nations General Assembly Building

 

Programme and Agenda

Welcoming Remarks

  • Mr. Chun Kyoo Park, Head of Office, United Nations Office for Sustainable Development, Division for SDGs, UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA)
  • Ambassador Hyunwoo Cho, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations

Keynote Speech

  • H.E. Mr. Max Andonirina Fontaine, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Madagascar
  • H.E. Mr. Saber Chowdhury, Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Bangladesh

 

Launch of the Initiative and Publication: – “The Waste Crisis: Accelerating National to Local Policy Action and Evidence-based strategies for sustainable solutions”

  • Mr. Chun Kyoo Park, Head of Office, UNOSD, UNDESA
  • Mr. Jorge Laguna-Celis, Head, One Planet Network, UN Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP), UNEP
  • Mr. Jeff Seadon, PhD., Lead Author and Scientist

 

Panel Discussion

  • Mr. Marcus Newbury, Statistician, Environment Statistics Section, Statistics Division, UN DESA
  • Ms. Aditi Ramola, Director, International Solid Waste Association (ISWA)
  • Ms. Dana Chadwick, PhD., Scientist, EMIT Mission Applications Lead, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

 

Organisers

  • Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations
  • Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD), Republic of Madagascar
  • United Nations Office for Sustainable Development, DSDG/UN DESA
  • UN Statistics Division, UN DESA
  • Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)
  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)