The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) channels $270 billion in tax credits for climate investments but raises concerns about incineration—a false solution to waste disposal that could generate 637.7 million tonnes of CO2e emissions over two decades, further harming the environment and disadvantaged communities. This resource highlights the key points of our recent article, including available funds for EJ organizations.
Fact Sheet: Inflation Reduction Act
The global plastics treaty presents Africa with a historic opportunity to address the unique challenges the continent faces from the adverse impacts of the full lifecycle of plastics. At its first session, the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC1), requested the secretariat to prepare, for consideration by the committee at its second session, a document with potential options for elements towards an international legally binding instrument, based on the submissions of member states, to which 14 African countries submitted individual inputs in addition to the African Group submission on what will form the foundational objectives; core obligations, control measures and implementing elements for the global plastics treaty.
O tratado global de plásticos representa, para África, uma oportunidade histórica para enfrentar os desafios únicos que o continente enfrenta devido aos impactos adversos do ciclo de vida completo dos plásticos. Na sua primeira sessão, o Comité Intergovernamental de Negociação (INC1) solicitou à secretaria que preparasse, para consideração do Comité na sua segunda sessão, um documento com possíveis opções de elementos para um instrumento internacional juridicamente vinculativo, com base nas contribuições dos Estados-Membros, para o qual 14 países Africanos enviaram contribuições individuais, além da apresentação do Grupo Africano sobre o que formará os objectivos fundamentais; obrigações essenciais, medidas de controle e elementos de implementação para o tratado global de plásticos.
Mkataba wa kimataifa wa taka plastiki unaipa Afrika fursa ya kihistoria ya kushughulikia changamoto za kipekee ambazo bara linakabili kutokana na athari mbaya za uwepo wa mifumo ya plastiki. Katika kikao chake cha kwanza, kamati ya majadiliano ya mkataba huu (INC1), iliomba sekretarieti kuandaa, kwa kuzingatiwa makubaliano ya kamati kuelekea kikao chake cha pili, hati yenye vipengele vya msingi vitakavyosaidia kupata mkataba wa kimataifa unaofungamanisha kisheria, kwa kuzingatia uwasilishaji wa nchi zilizo sehemu ya mkataba ambapo nchi 14 za Kiafrika ziliwasilisha mapenedekezo binafsi ukiachana na mapendekezo jumuishi juu ya malengo ya msingi; majukumu ya msingi, hatua za kudhibiti na kutekeleza mambo kwenye mkataba huu wa plastiki wa kimataifa.
Le traité mondial sur les plastiques offre à l’Afrique une occasion historique de relever les défis uniques auxquels le continent est confronté en raison des effets néfastes du cycle de vie intégral des plastiques. À sa première session, le Comité de négociation intergouvernemental (CNI1) a prié le secrétariat d’établir, pour examen par le Comité à sa deuxième session, un document contenant des options potentielles pour les éléments d’un instrument international juridiquement contraignant, sur la base des communications des États membres, auquel 14 pays africains ont soumis des contributions individuelles en plus de la communication du Groupe africain sur ce qui constituera les objectifs fondamentaux, obligations fondamentales, mesures de contrôle et éléments de mise en œuvre du Traité mondial sur les plastiques.
The global plastics treaty presents Africa with a historic opportunity to address the unique challenges the continent faces from the adverse impacts of the full lifecycle of plastics. At its first session, the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC1), requested the secretariat to prepare, for consideration by the committee at its second session, a document with potential options for elements towards an international legally binding instrument, based on the submissions of member states, to which 14 African countries submitted individual inputs in addition to the African Group submission on what will form the foundational objectives; core obligations, control measures and implementing elements for the global plastics treaty.
There is no dearth of women environmental leaders in Asia Pacific. In the past decades, the region has become host to many impactful environmental initiatives and campaigns spearheaded by women leaders who not only dared to dream of a better future, but also rolled their sleeves up to ensure that the better future they dreamed of would become a reality.
But while there is general awareness that women play crucial roles in driving societal changes, exactly what they have done, and how massive their impact has been are often told sparingly, if at all. The spotlight is seldom shone on women leaders. And when it is, they are either made to share it with their male counterparts, or the spotlight shone upon them does not shine bright enough to adequately highlight their impact.
Hence, this publication.
Vision and Grit: Exceptional Zero Waste Women in the Asia Pacific Region was conceived out of the realization that we have yet to truly take stock of the invaluable contributions of women leaders in Asia Pacific, particularly in the Zero Waste movement. It features 14 women leaders across the region whose initiatives have made a huge impact in their communities and have served as an inspiration for others to do the same. Because of their work, thousands of lives have been changed for the better, progressive policies and regulations have been instituted at various levels, enabling conditions for more sustainable options have been jump started, and Zero Waste models have been developed. Admittedly, so much still needs to be done at various fronts, but so much has also been achieved. Change is actually happening, and it is hugely thanks to our women leaders.
Pore over the pages of this book and learn about some of the women who have helped make the world we live in a better place, and be inspired by their compassion, determination, and grit. Read their stories and understand their motivations, and be amazed and grateful that they stood up for what they believed in when they did, and continued the fight even when things were difficult. Our current realities may still be filled with challenges, but it is less so because women of character and strength live among us.
In 2012, the Drakenstein municipality signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Interwaste, a waste management company, to construct a municipal waste incinerator to address the municipalities waste issues.
The resistance to this municipal incinerator involved several key actors, this included the Drakenstein Environmental Watch (DEW), Wellington Association Against the Incinerator (WAAI), groundWork (gW), South African Waste Pickers Association (SAWPA), GAIA, community residents, vulnerable groups that
would have been affected by the project, water experts, engineers and legal clinics were just some of the agents that supported the resistance of the municipal waste incinerator.
Waste pickers from South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, Morocco and Zambia have demonstrated the common need for official recognition from national and municipal governments, better working conditions, PPE, improved payment for their recovered materials and collection and processing service, and an end to social stigmatisation.
The experience of organising shows that these needs are achievable through building representative organisations that will ensure that their voices are heard in negotiations with governments and demonstrate their value to society.
This requires waste pickers to work collaboratively and embed the principles of democracy, equality and environmental justice in their organised structures. Furthermore, municipalities and national governments need to recognise the value that waste pickers play in diverting waste from the landfills, encouraging recycling where materials re-enter the economy and addressing poverty by providing an income for individuals that have been excluded from the formal economy.