Insights from COP30: reflections on zero waste, methane, and the growing momentum for real solutions
This year, I had the opportunity to join the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) delegation at COP30, where we collectively engaged in 55 events across dozens of pavilions. Being part of such a dynamic and solutions-focused team was energising, and the scale of engagement around waste, methane, and resource use was more visible than ever. Throughout the week, it became clear that zero waste approaches are increasingly recognised not only as climate strategies, but as essential pathways for resilience, equity, and system-wide transformation.
Two notable initiatives were launched during the conference: Food Waste Breakthrough and NOW, both signalling a growing shift toward prevention and circularity in global climate discussions. Alongside these, the release of the Global Methane Pledge Status Report, followed by a Ministerial meeting, gave important insights into how countries are progressing and where urgent action is still needed.
Zero Waste Europe was well represented during COP30. I organised six events across five pavilions – the Nordic Pavilion, Super Pollutants Solutions Pavilion, Food Action Hub, Bangladesh Pavilion, and CDR30 Pavilion – covering a wide range of issues, including food waste prevention, bio-waste, data and Material Recovery and Biological Treatment (MRBT) approaches, policy innovation such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for food waste, and the ongoing challenges created by carbon markets and waste incineration. These were not just discussions: they were spaces where concrete solutions, local experiences, and real-world evidence were exchanged.
Methane: a growing problem, but with clear solutions
The Global Methane Pledge Status Report delivered mixed but important messages. On the one hand, methane emissions are still rising, albeit at a slightly lower rate than previously projected. This is far from the trajectory needed, but it shows some progress is being made. On the other hand, the report emphasised a point that many of us in the zero waste movement have been raising for years: the solutions already exist, they are low-cost, and they can be deployed immediately.
Source-separated bio-waste collection, composting, anaerobic digestion, robust waste prevention measures, EPR, and well-designed reuse systems are proven tools, not something aspirational. The report also clearly stated that zero waste systems represent the long-term pathway for achieving the necessary deep reductions in methane emissions. This recognition is significant and validates the work happening in hundreds of communities around the world.
However, the report also highlighted a striking contradiction: 94% of UN-tracked financing in the waste sector is still going to incineration projects, with three-quarters of that funding coming from private investors. This is fundamentally misaligned with climate science and risks creating long-term lock-ins to high-emission, capital-intensive infrastructure. Financial flows must urgently shift if methane mitigation is to be taken seriously.
Zero Waste Europe’s role: sharing evidence, policy leadership, and practical pathways
In each of the events I participated in or facilitated, the goal was consistent: to bring forward practical, grounded solutions that cities and regions can deploy today. Much of our focus was on food waste prevention, which remains the single most effective strategy for reducing emissions in the waste sector. We discussed data-driven tools, real case studies from municipalities, and the enormous potential of upstream waste policies.
Another key theme was the role of bio-waste in not only reducing methane but also supporting soil health, sustainable agriculture, and climate adaptation. We shared insights on MRBT systems, compost quality, organics data, and the importance of flexible, locally appropriate models for collection and treatment.
Given the growing push to frame incineration and certain carbon market mechanisms as climate solutions, we also offered critical analysis supported by evidence. Incineration remains a high-emission, high-cost technology that undermines waste prevention, reuse, and recycling. In parallel, many carbon market schemes risk incentivising the wrong kinds of investments. These conversations were crucial to counter misleading narratives.
Finally, we explored the potential of EPR for food waste, along with improved data systems for bio-waste and organics management. This type of upstream responsibility ensures that waste prevention becomes a systematic priority, not an optional add-on.
Looking forward: aligning ambition, policy, and investment
Leaving COP30, I felt encouraged by the growing recognition of zero waste as a climate solution, while also very aware of the work ahead. The message from the methane report is clear: we have solutions, but we are not deploying them at the scale required. If nearly all waste-sector financing continues to support incineration, the world will miss one of the most immediate and cost-effective opportunities to cut emissions.
To truly meet climate targets, we need decision-makers and investors to back prevention, reuse, separate bio-waste collection, decentralised composting, and community-centred organics systems. These approaches are affordable, proven, and capable of delivering both climate and social benefits.
COP30 showed that the momentum is building. The challenge now is to turn recognition into action: to scale up what works, stop funding what does not, and ensure that communities and local authorities have the support they need to transition toward real zero waste systems.
As part of GAIA’s delegation and on behalf of Zero Waste Europe, I return from COP30 motivated and committed to keeping this momentum alive. The solutions are here. It is time to invest in them.