5.5 Solid Waste & Sustainable Development Goals

Summary

This module introduces the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their link to solid waste management. It explains the structure of the SDGs, which consist of 17 goals, 169 targets, and over 300 indicators aimed at achieving global sustainability by 2030. The video highlights specific SDG indicators relevant to waste management and outlines the challenges in data collection and reporting, particularly for waste-related indicators. Efforts to improve methodologies and data reporting are ongoing. The module emphasizes the importance of staying informed about updates from custodian agencies for accurate SDG monitoring.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global agenda set by the United Nations to address critical global challenges by 2030.
• 📊 The SDGs consist of 17 goals, 169 targets, and over 300 indicators, covering environmental, societal, and economic dimensions.
• 🌱 Solid waste management is linked to several SDGs, including goals 11, 12, and 14, with specific indicators related to urban waste collection, recycling rates, hazardous waste, and plastic debris.
• 📅 The SDGs were developed as an update to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which concluded in 2015.
• 🏙️ Indicator 11.6.1 of Goal 11 focuses on solid waste collection and disposal in urban areas.
• 🔄 Goal 12 addresses sustainable consumption and production, with indicators related to material footprints, recycling, and hazardous waste management.
• 🌊 Goal 14's Indicator 14.1.1 focuses on reducing plastic debris in coastal areas.
• 📉 Challenges exist in solid waste data collection; many countries struggle to report accurate waste statistics due to lack of clear methodologies and sparse data.
• 📊 Waste-related indicators are mostly classified as Tier 3, meaning they lack internationally established methodologies and reliable data reporting.
• 📈 Custodian agencies are actively working to improve the monitoring, reporting, and standardization of waste-related SDG indicators.

Q & A

What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

The SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations to tackle the most pressing problems of this century. They cover environmental protection, society, and economy, aiming to be achieved by 2030.

How are the SDGs structured?

Each SDG consists of three levels: goals, targets, and indicators. There are 17 goals, 169 targets, and over 300 indicators that help measure progress towards each goal.

What are the three dimensions of sustainable development covered by the SDGs?

The SDGs cover three dimensions: environmental protection (biosphere), society, and the economy.

What is the deadline for achieving the SDGs?

All UN member states aim to achieve the SDGs by 2030, which is why they are also referred to as Agenda 2030.

Which SDGs are directly related to solid waste management?

At least eight indicators are related to solid waste management, with key targets under Goal 11 (urban solid waste collection and disposal), Goal 12 (material footprints, recycling rates, hazardous waste management), and Goal 14 (plastic debris in coastal areas).

Why is reporting on waste-related SDG indicators challenging?

Waste statistics are underdeveloped in many countries, with sparse data and unclear methodologies for calculating indicators. This often leads to unreliable estimates and difficulty in reporting.

What are the three tiers of SDG indicators?

Tier 1 indicators have clear concepts, internationally established methodologies, and regular data production. Tier 2 indicators also have clear concepts and established methods but lack regular data. Tier 3 indicators lack standardized methodologies, and countries do not report data.

Where do most of the waste-related SDG indicators fall?

Most waste-related SDG indicators fall under Tier 3, indicating a significant lack of standardized data and methodologies globally.

What is being done to improve reporting on waste-related SDG indicators?

Custodian agencies and organizations are working to strengthen national monitoring, develop international standards, and recommend standardized methodologies for better reporting and comparability of waste-related data across countries.

What is the difference between the SDGs and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)?

The SDGs are an updated and expanded version of the MDGs, which ended in 2015. The SDGs have a broader scope, covering more comprehensive global goals, including sustainable development, social equity, and environmental sustainability.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Introduction to Sustainable Development Goals and Solid Waste Management

This paragraph introduces the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their relevance to solid waste management. It poses the question of what the SDGs are and explains that they represent an internationally agreed agenda to tackle global challenges. The SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals, covering environmental, societal, and economic dimensions. The paragraph breaks down how the SDGs work, including their three levels: goals, targets, and indicators. The SDGs aim to be achieved by 2030, as part of the 'Agenda 2030,' succeeding the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

05:10

♻️ SDGs Related to Solid Waste Management and Their Challenges

This section identifies specific SDG indicators related to solid waste management. Eight indicators are highlighted, spanning goals 11, 12, and 14. These indicators address areas such as urban solid waste disposal, material consumption, food loss, hazardous waste, and recycling rates. However, challenges are mentioned regarding data collection and reporting, particularly for waste-related indicators, many of which fall under 'Tier 3' – meaning methodologies are not fully developed, and data is often sparse or unreliable.

📊 The Challenge of Waste-Related SDG Indicators and Global Gaps

This paragraph explains the classification of SDG indicators into three tiers based on methodological development and data availability. Many waste-related indicators are classified as 'Tier 3,' meaning there are significant global gaps in waste data. The paragraph discusses the efforts of custodian agencies and organizations to address these gaps by developing international standards, strengthening national monitoring capacities, and improving the methodologies for measuring and reporting data on waste management.

📖 Summary and Call to Stay Informed on Waste SDG Reporting

The module concludes with a summary of key points: understanding what the SDGs are, identifying solid waste-related targets, and recognizing challenges in SDG reporting. It encourages those involved in the reporting process or interested in waste statistics to stay updated with custodian agencies on the evolving methodologies for monitoring the SDGs. Additional resources are recommended for further exploration of the topic.

Keywords

💡Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The SDGs are a set of 17 global goals established by the United Nations to address pressing challenges facing the world, such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation. They represent a shared agenda for global development by 2030. In the video, the SDGs are described as a tool to tackle the most critical problems of the century, including solid waste management.

💡Solid Waste Management

This refers to the collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of waste materials. In the context of the video, solid waste management is directly linked to several SDG targets, such as waste disposal, recycling, and reducing hazardous waste. The video highlights the role of proper waste management in achieving environmental sustainability.

💡Agenda 2030

Agenda 2030 is the timeframe for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, with the aim of transforming the world by 2030. It includes goals and targets across various sectors, including waste management. The video explains how the SDGs, also known as Agenda 2030, provide a structured global plan to ensure sustainable development.

💡Targets

Each SDG is broken down into specific targets, which are measurable objectives that countries work to achieve. There are 169 targets in total. The video emphasizes how some targets, like those in goals 11, 12, and 14, relate directly to solid waste management, such as waste reduction and recycling.

💡Indicators

Indicators are the metrics used to measure progress toward achieving each SDG target. There are over 300 indicators that provide detailed data on how well countries are progressing. The video focuses on how indicators such as 11.6.1 (urban solid waste management) and 12.5.1 (recycling rates) are crucial for tracking waste management.

💡Tier System for Indicators

Indicators are categorized into three tiers based on data availability and methodological development. Tier 1 indicators are conceptually clear and have available data, while Tier 3 indicators lack internationally recognized methodologies or sufficient data reporting. The video highlights that most waste-related indicators fall into Tier 3, indicating a significant gap in data collection.

💡Material Footprint

The material footprint refers to the total amount of raw materials extracted to meet a country's consumption needs. This concept is related to goal 12 and is a critical metric for understanding environmental impacts from production and consumption. In the video, it is mentioned as part of the indicator 12.2.1, which ties directly to waste management and sustainability.

💡Recycling Rates

Recycling rates measure the proportion of waste that is diverted from landfills and instead recycled. The video discusses indicator 12.5.1, which tracks national recycling rates and underscores the importance of recycling in achieving SDG goals related to waste reduction and sustainability.

💡Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste refers to waste materials that are dangerous or potentially harmful to human health and the environment. The video highlights its relevance in goal 12, particularly through indicators 12.4.1 and 12.4.2, which focus on international agreements and the generation of hazardous waste, showing its global importance.

💡Custodian Agencies

Custodian agencies are organizations responsible for monitoring and reporting on specific SDG indicators. They play a key role in developing methodologies and helping countries strengthen their reporting systems. In the video, the role of these agencies is highlighted as crucial in overcoming challenges related to data collection and reporting for waste-related indicators.

Highlights

Introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their relation to solid waste management.

Explanation of the SDGs as an internationally agreed agenda to tackle global issues.

Overview of the SDGs being a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations.

The SDGs cover environmental protection, society, and economy, represented by the biosphere, society, and economy.

Each SDG consists of several targets, operationalized by one or more indicators.

There are 17 goals, 169 targets, and more than 300 indicators, with a completion timeline of 15 years, by 2030.

SDGs are also known as Agenda 2030, developed to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Identification of at least 8 indicators directly related to solid waste management within the SDGs.

Detailed mention of specific SDG targets and indicators related to urban solid waste, hazardous waste, and recycling rates.

Challenges in waste statistics development, with sparse data in many countries.

Waste-related SDG indicators fall mainly under Tier 3, highlighting a gap in global data and methodology.

Efforts by custodian agencies to strengthen national monitoring and develop international standards for waste-related SDGs.

Summary of the module covering the SDGs, their relevance to solid waste, and reporting challenges.

Encouragement for individuals involved in reporting to stay updated with custodian agencies on SDG monitoring methodologies.

Recommendation to check specific links for further information on SDGs and waste management.

Transcripts

Welcome.

In this module, we will learn the Sustainable Development Goals and their relation to solid waste management.

Do you know what the Sustainable Development Goals are?

How would it be if the world had an internationally agreed and shared agenda to tackle the most burning problems of this century?

Well this is not science fiction!

That's exactly what the Sustainable Development Goals are for.

In this module, we will learn what the Sustainable Development Goals are and how they work.

We will then point out those targets directly related to solid waste management,

and finally, we will number some of the existing challenges to report these SDGs.

These goals, also referred to as SDGs, are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations after a massive consultation exercise.

The SDGs cover the three dimensions of sustainable development:

environmental protection, represented here as the biosphere, the society, and the economy.

This diagram shows to which dimension each goal belongs.

Each SDG consists of three levels.

Every goal is composed of several targets and each target is operationalized or measured by one or more indicator.

There are 17 goals, 169 targets and more than 300 indicators - so quite an extensive list!

All these goals need to be achieved by every UN member state in a time span of 15 years, that is by 2030.

That's why the SDGs are also known as Agenda 2030.

The SDGs were developed to replace the Millennium Development Goals, which ended in 2015.

The SDGs are some sort of updated version of the MDGs.

Are there any SDGs related to solid waste management?

Yes there are.

Among the 17 goals and 169 targets, we have identified at least 8 indicators that directly relate to solid waste.

These are: one in goal 11, 11.6.1, on urban solid waste collection and disposal;

next to the number of each indicator, we will see the custodian agencies in charge of this indicator;

Six on goal 12, 12.2.1, on material footprints, which is equal to target 8.4.1;

12.2.2 on domestic material consumption, which is equal to target 8.4.2;

12.3.1, global food loss index;

12.4.1 on the number of parties with international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste;

12.4.2 on generation of hazardous waste,

and 12.5.1 on national recycling rates;

and one in goal 14, 14.1.1, on plastic debris in coastal areas.

This all sounds great - but is it as smooth as it sounds?

Unfortunately not.

Waste statistics is still at an early stage of development in many countries and data is often sparse.

Furthermore, in terms of waste indicators, the methodologies on how to calculate them are not apparent,

and consequently, many countries fail to report the data or end up estimating the required data based on assumptions that are not necessarily reliable.

All the indicators are classified into three tiers based on the methodological development level and the data availability at global scale.

The indicators in Tier 1 are conceptually clear, have an internationally established methodology and standards available, and countries regularly produce data.

Indicators in Tier 2 are also conceptually clear, have an internationally established methodology and standards available, but countries do not regularly produce data.

Finally, indicators in Tier 3 are clear but, have no internationally established methodology or standard, and countries are not reporting data.

Where are the waste-related indicators?

Well, we see that the majority of the waste SDG indicators fall under Tier 3, which means that our global society has a huge gap of information on those aspects.

Luckily, the responsible custodian agencies and organizations are already working to strengthen national monitoring and reporting capacities

as well as to develop international standards and to recommend standardized methodologies on how to measure, calculate and/or estimate this data,

with the goal of allowing international comparability among countries.

Let's summarize what we learned in this module.

We first learned what the SDGs are and how they work.

Then, we talked about those targets directly related to solid waste management.

And finally, we numbered some of the existing challenges to report these SDGs.

If you are involved anyhow in the current reporting system or are interested in waste statistics,

keep yourself updated with the custodian agencies when it comes to the methodologies for monitoring the SDGs.

For further information, we recommend you to check the following links.