At COP31, African advocates urge climate funders to back zero waste instead of incinerators
A GAIA Africa report examines 15 waste-to-energy incineration projects in 10 African countries, and speakers called for money to go to prevention, reuse and composting.
Antalya — Climate advocates, researchers, youth leaders and local officials at the COP31 climate conference called on governments and climate financiers to reject waste incineration and invest in zero waste solutions, KBC reported.
At a press conference titled "Zero Waste COP – Incinerators Out. Zero Waste In.", speakers argued that cutting emissions from waste means acting upstream, through prevention, reuse, repair, redesign and composting.
"Zero waste is climate action, but only when we address the problem at its source," said Mariel Vilella, climate programme director at GAIA.
Questions over incinerators
A new GAIA Africa report examines 15 incineration projects and proposals across 10 African countries and questions their viability and long-term impact. "Africa needs solutions that respond to its actual waste realities, not expensive technologies that create new problems," said Weyinmi Okotie, executive director of the Green Knowledge Foundation.
Following the money
Jacob Johnson Attakpah, zero waste director at the Green Africa Youth Organisation, said governments and financiers should make climate finance accessible to "the communities and cities already delivering solutions". Mohamed Kamal of Climate Action Network Arab World added that reducing plastic production and scaling up reuse must be part of any credible climate strategy.
Source: KBC, 12 November 2026.
