South Africa’s 2025 NDC: Prioritizing the Waste Sector for Methane Reduction and a Just Transition

South Africa’s waste sector presents both a climate challenge and an opportunity for social equity. Landfills are a major source of methane, threatening public health and the environment, particularly in vulnerable communities. At the same time, informal waste workers—waste pickers, also referred to as waste reclaimers—play a vital role in recycling and resource recovery but are often excluded from formal systems. Integrating waste methane reduction with environmental justice in South Africa’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) can simultaneously tackle emissions, protect communities, and support livelihoods.