UNDP and Avfall Sverige, Swedish Waste Management and Recycling Association, enter into an agreement on global waste management cooperation

Landfill of mixed solid waste, with poor or no recycling.

UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Avfall Sverige, the Swedish Waste Management Association, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in which they agreed to cooperate on solid waste management towards the achievement of zero waste and circular economy vision. The partnership contributes to global climate mitigation and adaptation efforts and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Inadequate waste management is a global issue with serious consequences. Among other things, 40 per cent of all waste ends up in open, uncontrolled dumpsites. As many as 38 of the 50 largest dumpsites threaten to pollute the sea and coastal areas, while 64 million people are directly affected by the largest landfills, often with severe health problems. At the current rate, at least 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions will come from the world's landfills by 2025[1].

– Basically, it is about promoting a sound solid waste management. This is required if we are to be able to achieve the global sustainability goals and meet the global climate challenge. Sweden is a pioneer in waste governance, technology, infrastructure and organization, and has through its vision of zero waste shown how it is possible to achieve an effective, non-toxic and circular resource management. It is against this background that we, UNDP and Avfall Sverige, now are deepening our cooperation, says Xiaofang Zhou, Director Montreal Protocol/Chemical Unit, Principal Technical Advisor on chemicals and waste, UNDP.

As part of UNDP's work to support waste management among its 170 partner countries and territories, Avfall Sverige completed a first collaborative project in August[2], which gave 25 municipalities on four continents a platform for cooperation and sharing experience when it comes to streamlining waste management, reduce waste and reach several of the global sustainability goals. This work needs to continue.  

– There are many and great challenges for municipal waste management globally. Therefore, we want to help build both legal and financial control instruments to create sustainable business models and develop public-private partnerships to support UNDP's work, says Tony Clark, CEO of Avfall Sverige.

Avfall Sverige and UNDP have now signed a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate, strengthen and deepen continued cooperation in waste management and to develop more sustainable societies globally. Avfall Sverige will, together with its municipal members and other partners in Sweden and abroad, contribute with knowledge and technical advice to other municipalities around the world in need of guidance and support on the development of infrastructure, finances, governance, communication and training in waste management. This will be channeled through UNDP’s context-specific and demand-driven solutions and support to overcome the challenges of urban development.

UNDP and Avfall Sverige aim to collaborate in the provision of policy, technical, and programme advisory support to municipalities in developing countries with respect to the urban infrastructure development, finance, governance, awareness, education, and training in waste management, with a view of increasing equality and inclusiveness.