UNEP praises Azerbaijan’s efforts towards waste management in conflict-affected areas

The Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Inger Andersen has praised Azerbaijan’s efforts towards waste management in its conflict-affected territories.

“Azerbaijan is demonstrating leadership in waste management by applying innovative recycling methods to demolition waste in conflict-affected areas, in collaboration with the private sector and a technical advisory department,” Andersen said at an international forum on "Green World Solidarity: Waste to Value for Sustainable Future" in Baku on Thursday, News.Az reports.

“In this year's Global Waste Management Outlook report, it is highlighted that municipal solid waste generation will increase from 2.3 billion tons today to 3.8 billion tons by 2050, a one-third rise, with associated costs for waste collection, environmental degradation, and human health also set to escalate,” she emphasised.

Andersen pointed out that progress in waste management is achievable through several key strategies.

“First, we need to build capacity to address current challenges and prepare for the necessary transformational changes, such as reducing methane emissions, banning open burning of waste to cut air pollution, enhancing waste management systems including collection, recycling, and reuse, and supporting garbage recycling as part of a comprehensive approach to post-disaster or post-conflict recovery,” the UNEP executive director added.

News.Az