Sharing experience to achieve sustainable waste management in the Mediterranean

Eleven Mediterranean countries came together to share and learn from each others’ experiences in the field of Integrated Sustainable Waste Management (ISWM) during a capacity building course held by the EU-funded Horizon 2020 initiative in Larnaca, Cyprus.

A press release said the two-day training, held on 11 and 12 May, acted as a platform for “learning through teaching and sharing” for its 18 participants, to consolidate their know-how, present their own challenges and experiences, and be informed of other good practices and applications of ISWM in the region. Experiences in all five aspects of ISWM, i.e. social, environmental, operational, institutional, financial, and legislative, were covered.

The workshop was aimed at intermediate/high level country officials i.e. ministries, agencies, local authorities, and NGOs. Most participants have a role to play in relevant decision making in their countries and in finding solutions for applying efficient integrated sustainable management of municipal solid waste in their country, region or local authority.

The participants from Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestinian Authority and Tunisia had the opportunity to visit and examine the operation of a nearby mechanical separation unit for recyclables of mixed household waste, a composting unit and a landfill.

The Horizon 2020 initiative aims to improve the quality of life of more than 420 million citizens living in the 25 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It is an umbrella programme drawing together all the policies, strategies and action plans for enhancing environmental protection.

Horizon 2020 has mechanisms in capacity-building, research, monitoring and review that place the initiative in an excellent position to address the challenges it faces and ensure the efficient and effective use of the available resources. The inclusion of the Horizon 2020 Initiative as one of the six components of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) adds to the political impetus to address major environmental challenges.

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• Training material 
• Horizon 2020 - website