Global waste production to skyrocket by 2050: UN report
![Global waste production to skyrocket by 2050: UN report](https://sustainabilityeconomicsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1110-1.jpg)
By 2050, waste generated by the public will increase substantially, leading to hundreds of billions of dollars in damage due to biodiversity loss, climate change, and harmful pollution, according to a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report released on Wednesday.
The report warns that without immediate action, global waste production will surge, especially in rapidly growing economies like those in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where many nations already struggle to manage current levels of waste.
UNEP forecasts the cost to reach $640 billion yearly by the middle of the century, marking a 75%+ rise from 2020. In 2020, global municipal solid waste reached around 2.1 billion tonnes, excluding industrial waste.
Also read: US EPA to launch cleanup projects at hazardous waste sites with $1 billion funds
Among the projected costs, $443 billion would be externalities, encompassing biodiversity loss, greenhouse gases from organic waste breakdown, and pollution contributing to 400,000 to 1 million deaths annually.
The report suggests that implementing waste prevention strategies and enhancing waste management could lower these expenses. However, there are notable obstacles to change, including ineffective enforcement mechanisms.
Additionally, negotiations for a treaty to tackle plastic pollution, which poses serious health risks and does not biodegrade, are ongoing, with the fourth round of talks set for April.
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