New Twist on Methane Reduction

“The work Colombia and Canada are doing, will reduce landfill gas...” - Ned Helme, president of CCAP

(TORONTO) - The Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP) and the Government of Canada today debuted a video [click here] about an innovative program in Colombia, South America, that reduces methane gas emissions from landfills as a way to mitigate the dangers of global climate change and showcases the collaborative work of developed and developing countries.

Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 100-year atmospheric lifetime. Reduction in methane emissions, especially through sustainable management of solid waste, combats such climate change problems as extreme weather, rising seas and decreased public health.

CCAP and Environment Canada produced the short video [click here] to explain how methane mitigation benefits not only the environment but local businesses as well. During the Global Methane Initiative’s Methane Expo this week in Vancouver, CCAP is holding a large event to highlight the connection between methane management and climate finance. The methane management program in Colombia is a leading example of an evolving climate policy action called a nationally appropriate mitigation action, or NAMA. NAMAs combine emission reductions with locally sustainable development. They also incorporate specific financial mechanisms that are underwritten in developing nations by donors from developed nations.

“The work Colombia and Canada are doing, will reduce landfill gas through recycling, composting and transforming the remaining waste into industrial fuel,” said Ned Helme, president of CCAP. “This process allows developed and developing countries to work together for a common goal of reducing emissions and creating a better quality of life. The international financing will spur private sector investment as well. Through this NAMA, Colombia will reduce the amount of waste going to its landfills, help protect the climate and provide sustainable employment for its people.”

The Honorable Minister Peter Kent of Environment Canada agrees: “Colombia’s future is brighter thanks to crucial financial help and advice from Environment Canada. The waste management program in Colombia is an example that we hope will inspire other developing and developed countries to take action together.”

Since 2011, with the support of Environment Canada, CCAP has been working on the ground in Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic to explore opportunities in the waste sector involving NAMA design and development. In the next few months, CCAP plans to hold a global dialogue in Copenhagen that will bring together developed and developing countries. The goal: to finance NAMAs that fight against climate change and also benefit local businesses and people.

About the Center for Clean Air Policy: Since 1985, CCAP has been a recognized world leader in climate and air quality policy and is the only independent think-tank working exclusively on those issues at the local, national and international levels. It is an independent non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. that helps policymakers around the world to develop, promote and implement innovative solutions to major climate, air quality and energy problems. With on-the-ground policy and research activities across the U.S. and around the globe, CCAP is developing pragmatic solutions that balance both environmental and economic interests. For more information about CCAP, please visit www.ccap.org.