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

The Community of Practice on Methane Emissions Reduction from Organic Sources in Latin America and the Caribbean (MetLAC CoP) is a collaborative effort of the Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP), ImplementaSur and the LEDS LAC Regional Platform, with financial support from the Global Methane Hub (GMH). It was launched in October 2023, with the purpose of promoting and supporting the development of public policies, business models and investment projects to reduce methane emissions from organic sources in Latin America and the Caribbean. MetLAC operates in two languages, English and Spanish.

Why Methane from organic sources?

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that has a global warming potential 86 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. According to the Global Methane Assessment (2021), reducing methane emissions caused by human activities is one of the most cost-effective strategies for reducing the rate of warming at an accelerated rate and contributing substantially to global efforts to meet the below 1.5°C warming target.

In addition, methane is among the most dangerous short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and is responsible for 40 percent of global warming since the Industrial Revolution-18% of man-made methane emissions come from organic waste.

Per capita waste generation will continue to increase worldwide with population growth and rapid urbanization. As the organic fraction of waste - such as food scraps, pruning waste, paper or wood - decomposes in landfills or dumps, it generates large amounts of emissions that affect air quality and contribute significantly to global warming.

According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), organic waste represents, on average, 50% of the waste stream in Latin American countries. The lack of specific treatment options and recovery measures generates serious problems at disposal sites, including significant methane emissions, leachates contaminating subsoils and the spread of vector-borne diseases.

In the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, there are local and regional initiatives focused on recycling, anaerobic digestion, composting and other relevant technologies to reduce methane emissions. However, these efforts are often scattered and not linked to national climate and development goals.

CoP Activities

2024

Training sessions for CoP members on topics of interest identified in the initial in-person workshop in Bogota, Colombia.

Sessions of exchange among CoP membersThe workshop was held in Bogota, Colombia, and was organized around topics of interest identified in the first face-to-face workshop.

Webinar: Incentives for source separation of organic waste: successful strategies for municipalities

Composting in Latin America and the Caribbean: experiences, benefits and challenges

2023

MetLAC presentation at the Latin American and Caribbean Climate Week (October 23)
Online kick-off session (October 31)
In-person kick-off workshop, Bogotá, Colombia (November 14-15)

MetLAC's in-person start-up workshop

Spanish Start-Up Workshop Report

English Start-Up Workshop Report

Webinar: Methane emissions reduction and organic waste management: opportunities, progress and challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean (December 13)

Link to presentations:

Participation in COP28 (December 4 to 8)

Members of the CoP coordination team attended the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP 28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Dubai and participated in several panels organized by the Global Methane Hub to comment on the work of the Community of Practice.

Financing waste sector's climate solutions: innovative approaches. December 4.
Environmental Justice and Methane Reduction at a crossroads: How can we ensure a fair, just, and sustainable implementation of solutions? December 5, 2010
No time to waste: the role of the waste sector in achieving the Global South Methane mitigation. December 8.