Pursuing for a Low-Carbon Development of MSW
1.5% of the total Chinese CO2 emissions originated from the waste sector, amounting to 111 Mt CO2e per year. By 2025, due to the rapid urbanization, the number of city dwellers in China is expected to reach 1 billion people. Against the backdrop of continuous economic growth, this will lead to the increase in the amount of waste generated, collected and treated, which will subsequently create a substantial annual emission reduction potential from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management estimated at the level of 236.3 Mt CO2e. If realized, this amount will cover almost 1/5 of the Chinese Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. Besides, carbon emission reduction from waste sector will also contribute to national commitment to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. China is currently strengthening its efforts to reduce GHG emissions from the waste sector and increase the usage of urban waste for energy production. However, this transformation faces technical and capacity challenges.
Proceeding Towards a Sustainable Municipal Waste Sector
GIZ Waste Management and Circular Economy Team aims to capitalise on the significant Chinese investments in the waste sector by introducing best available techniques (BAT) and best environmental practices (BEP) in integrated waste management in three to five demonstration municipalities. Policy recommendations to the Chinese government will facilitate further dismantling of the existing barriers hindering the sector’s transformation. By making available new income streams (i.e. energy generation and participation in emission trading schemes) as well as a matching private sector interests with the needs of municipalities, up-scaling of the integrated waste management solutions in China will be supported.
As China was hit by the COVID-19 epidemic, its waste sector was amidst the transformation process – from collection-disposal mode towards mandatory waste segregation at source and diversified integrated municipal solid waste management. How under these circumstances China’s waste industry shaped its response to the obstacles brought by the coronavirus – in our overview.
In November 2020, the project team of Integrated Waste Management NAMA Support Project (IWM NSP) and technical experts jointly completed the KPI assessment and greenhouse gas emission reduction monitoring in the municipal solid waste management (MSWM) sector for 2020 in five demonstration municipalities.
“IWM NAMA Low-carbon Integrated Waste Management Symposium” was held in Bengbu, Anhui Province. This Symposium invited domestic experts to attend in person and international scholars join online, sharing and showcasing the Best Practices as well as exchanging the latest trends in the waste sector.
China Integrated Waste Management NAMA Support Project (China IWM NSP) has adjusted its “modes of delivery” and started organising online trainings for its major stakeholders. The first event took place on March 24 and provided private sector actors with an opportunity to learn more about the process of organic waste treatment focusing on available technologies and specific case-studies, attracting approximately 60 practitioners to enrol in the “remote class”.
