Community of Practice on reduction of methane emissions from organic sources in Latin America and the Caribbean (MetLAC)

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that has global warming potential 86-times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.1 According to the Global Methane Assessment (2021), reducing human-caused methane emissions is one of the most cost-effective strategies to rapidly reduce the rate of warming and substantially contribute to global efforts in keeping the world below 1.5°C.

Furthermore, methane is among the most dangerous Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) and is responsible for 40 percent of the Earth’s warming since the Industrial Revolution—18% of human-made methane emissions come from organic waste.

Waste generation per capita will keep increasing around the world with population and rapid urbanization. As the organic fraction of waste—such as food residues, yard trimmings, paper or wood—decomposes in landfills or dumpsites, it generates large amounts of emissions that lower air quality and heavily contribute to the warming of our planet.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), organic waste represents, on average, 50% of the waste stream in Latin American countries. The lack of specific treatment options and recovery measures is causing consequential issues at final disposal sites, including significant methane emissions, leachate polluting subsoils and the spread of diseases by pests.

In the LAC region, there are local and regional initiatives focusing on recycling, anaerobic digestion, composting and other technologies that are relevant for cutting methane emissions, but those efforts are often disparate and not linked to national climate and development goals.