Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that has been responsible for 30% of global warming since pre-industrial times and causes 84-87 times the warming impact of carbon dioxide over a 20-year time frame. The waste sector is the third largest methane emitter behind oil and gas and agriculture, accounting for 18% of total methane emission, of which municipal solid waste is responsible for 11%. Reducing methane emissions from the waste sector is crucial not only for combating climate change, but also for safeguarding human health and minimizing environmental nuisances.
Currently, there is a lack of consistent waste sector and related methane emissions data, especially at the city and asset levels, and data availability varies significantly by country and by region. At the national level, countries report their greenhouse gas emissions according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). At sub-national levels, different entities, including the United Nations, the World Bank, C40 and aid agencies have implemented initiatives to promote data and information collection and sharing.
WasteMAP brings together reported and modeled data sources to paint a picture of the current methane emissions situation from municipal solid waste globally, aiming to highlight the data and resource gaps that exist.
The information below focuses on the internals of WasteMAP, for information on how to use the user interface, please see How to Use WasteMAP.
