About: Waste management has been a longstanding public concern due to its impact on human health, the environment and socio-economic development. The linear economy paradigm has resulted in increasing consumption of products made of virgin material and low level of recycling or reuse of important resources. The World Bank estimates that waste generation will increase waste generation will increase by 70% in 2050. At least 33% of this waste is mismanaged globally through open dumping or burning. More than two billion people lack access to waste collection and less than 2% of plastics used in packaging applications is reusable.

Local authorities, municipalities, cities, and regions play a pivotal role for waste management. Municipal waste management is a service of general interest; thus, all citizens should have equal access to waste management.

This event will support the aspiration of the leadership dialogue 1 through promoting systemic change toward zero-pollution and zero-waste societies to achieve a healthy planet and prosperity of all.

The event will bring together mayors of several cities and representatives of international and local organizations active on municipal waste management to discuss the issues faced, outline solutions, and forge new partnerships to tackle the issue.

Moderator(s): Tony Clark (Swedish Waste Management Association)

Panelists: 

• Carlos Silva (The International Solid Waste Association)
• Xiaofang Zhou (UNDP)
• Mary Matthews (UNDP)
• Abdulla Naseer (Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, Maldives)
• Kavydass Ramano (Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Mauritius)
• Katarina Luhr (Vice Mayor of Stockholm)
• Maria van Berlekom (Sida)
• Yvonne Denise Aki-Sawyerr (Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone)
• Ana Lucia Ferrero (Vice-mayor of Curridabat, San Jose, Costa Rica)
• Sarto Nogueira (Mayor of Fortaleza, Brazil)

Thursday 2 June
11:30-12:45 CEST
Stockholmsmässan, Room 5

Livestream: Watch Live