The role of the waste sector in the sustainable development goals and the IPCC assessment reports

The management of waste plays a pivotal role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations through both direct and indirect linkages. Directly, waste management issues are addressed in four SDGs (6, 11, 12, 14), while landfilling issues are only mentioned in SDG 6 reflecting water quality in connection with waste dumping. However, inadequate management and disposal of waste pose environmental, health and safety risks; thereby undermining more SDGs. Indirectly, waste management and landfilling influence various SDGs ranging from 4 to all 17 SDGs depending on the literature reference. Although not directly addressed in SDG 13 (Climate action), the waste sector contributes to climate change, with the biggest share of greenhouse gases emitted from landfills and waste dumps. According to the latest assessment report by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), waste management—and thereby mainly landfills—are responsible for 64 Mt of CH4 per year worldwide. A waste-related assessment of the IPCC report series from 1990 to 2023 revealed a paradigm shift in the covered waste management strategies, transitioning from conventional technical disposal methods towards holistic approaches that align with the principles of sustainability encapsulated in the SDGs. The focus in the reports moves upwards the “waste management hierarchy”, fostering circular economy. Indirectly, this leads to seemingly less focus on landfills and waste dumps despite their high share of greenhouse gas emissions and particularly their strong representation in low/lower middle-income countries, which is still expected to increase during the next years.