The Korean Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment is investing $4.7 million in a new project aimed at improving solid waste management in Sri Lanka. The initiative, ‘Scale-up and Sustain the Low-Carbon Municipal Solid Waste Management and Resource Recovery in Sri Lanka,’ will be implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) along with local government agencies. Over the next three years, this project will help develop sustainable waste management solutions in selected areas of the Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces.
A signing ceremony marked the project’s kickoff, featuring key representatives from Korea and Sri Lanka. This project comes at a crucial time as Sri Lanka faces serious waste management issues. The country produces over 10,000 tons of waste daily, but only about half is collected. The rest is often dumped or burned, which poses health risks and harms the environment. Past attempts to address these challenges have struggled due to funding issues, unsuitable technologies, and a lack of community involvement.
Secretary Aloka Bandara emphasized that enhancing waste management is vital for public health and environmental sustainability. The project aims to create systems that are effective and grounded in local realities. By focusing on decentralized waste management, it looks to reduce the inefficiencies and costs that come with transporting waste across different areas.
Miyon Lee, the Korean Ambassador to Sri Lanka, expressed optimism about Korea’s role in supporting Sri Lanka’s sustainable development. This project will leverage Korea’s advanced technology and expertise to build a solid waste management system that can be replicated in other regions.
Azusa Kubota from UNDP stressed the project’s importance during a time when Sri Lanka is facing significant challenges. The goal is not only to manage waste better but also to create jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project will focus on strategic plans in four provinces and implement demonstration projects in specific urban councils. For example, technology such as anaerobic digestion and pyrolysis will be used to decrease carbon emissions significantly over the next decade.
Experts from the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub also expressed their support for efforts that could set a standard for sustainable waste management across Asia-Pacific. Beyond just building infrastructure, the initiative aims to change behaviors around waste through education and innovation. Strategies will include promoting practices like “refuse, reduce, and reuse” and integrating smart technologies for waste collection.
In total, the project has four main components: improving policies and institutional frameworks, demonstrating effective waste management technologies, developing financing models, and establishing monitoring systems. A focus on gender-responsive approaches ensures that women’s voices are included in decision-making, particularly in the often-overlooked area of waste management.
Finally, this project is aligned with Sri Lanka’s commitments under the Paris Agreement, specifically regarding climate action and sustainable growth. By addressing these crucial issues, it aims to contribute to various Sustainable Development Goals, ultimately benefitting the health and well-being of communities across the nation.
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