Reducing short lived climate pollutants from solid waste sector in India
In partnership with Climate and Clean Air Coalition TERI implemented a project to reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) under the CCAC’s Municipal Solid Waste Initiative in India. The mandate of the project was to develop work plans for two cities in India to help formulate priorities in managing waste, reducing SLCP emissions, and establish an Indian city network under the CCAC- Waste initiative for building capacities and helping in reduction of SLCPs from the municipal solid waste sector.
The objective to improve waste management practices in ways that reduce SLCP emissions was pursued through two major activity heads. The first activity involved development of work plans for East Delhi and Coimbatore. Read the final assessment report for East Delhi. Their current waste management systems were reviewed, emissions (including methane and black carbon) were estimated using the Solid Waste Emission Estimation Tool (SWEET) and priorities were identified for managing municipal solid waste taking into account their sustainability, technical, economic, environmental and social aspects. The financial mechanisms of the cities were reviewed, and officials were trained to help them find possible options for financing waste processing projects. As part of the trainings conducted, best practices on financing were also shared with the participants.
Trainings were also provided regarding outreach and communication methodology with the beneficiaries and stakeholders to assist them in information dissemination using print and other forms of media, including social media. Indicators were developed for measurement, reporting and verification, with the view that that which can be measured, can be managed. Synthesizing all the information gathered from tools employed, site visits and interaction with the municipality officials, work plans were developed in collaboration with Coimbatore and East Delhi. Additionally, East Delhi was also assisted in conducting feasibility study on slope stability of existing landfill and managing fires at the site.
The second activity head consisted of developing a city network in India, with the aim to facilitate interaction to reduce SLCP emissions. This city network has helped in developing city to city partnerships extending technical assistance opportunities to all the eight cities part of this network. The workshop for the network helped identify gaps and priorities of the network cities in the areas of collection and transportation, organic waste management, and waste disposal. A series of eight webinars were conducted along with on-site visits to provide assistance on common issues faced by the municipal corporations like Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, Scientific Landfill Closure Practices, fires and odour management in landfills, effective communication strategies for enabling solid waste management activities among others.
Read more about the project here: http://ccacindia.teriin.org