Juan Chamat
Advocacy Engineer at Kanadevia Inova
Landfill methane remains a significant and, in some parts of Europe, underestimated climate challenge as well as a powerful near-term opportunity for action. In this webinar, the findings of the recent Prognos/ifeu landfill methane study were discussed, and their implications for the future of EU waste and climate policy were explored.
The study shows that methane emissions from landfills persist for decades, even as waste disposal declines, and that policy choices made today will strongly shape emissions well beyond 2050. It also highlights how data quality issues hinder cross-country comparisons and lead to significant uncertainties in both national and EU-level emission estimates and reporting.
Most importantly, the webinar brought together a high-level expert panel discussing how these insights can inform upcoming EU decisions on landfill and methane regulation. Given the current regulatory context, the upcoming ETS review and Circular Economy Act gained traction during the panel.
The webinar attracted strong interest, bringing together over 140 participants, with strong engagement maintained throughout the session, and was expertly moderated by Anja Schwetje, Vice Chair of the ISWA Working Group on Climate Change & Waste Management. Featuring contributions from ISWA members of the Energy Recovery Working Group, the session brought together practitioners and scientists, highlighting ISWA’s unique strength as a science-based, evidence-driven association.
Below are some key takeaways from the webinar:
- Why landfill methane is a critical lever for near-term climate mitigation, and how to reach the existing targets of the Landfill Directive across all Member States.
- How climate and waste policies and strategies should align in the EU to deliver substantial progress towards decarbonization.
- How other waste management pathways should be prioritised to achieve the greatest benefits, including the full implementation of the existing EU waste framework, the pros and cons of a landfill ban on (biodegradable) waste, and the development of the new BREF for landfills.
- Whether landfills should be introduced in the EU ETS framework, or whether other instruments, such as more uniform conditions for levies, could better ensure a level playing field in the waste sector.
- How relevant it is to overcome the existing data gaps, generic modelling assumptions, and inaccuracies in official inventories to better reflect reality and strengthen policy credibility.
If you’re involved in waste policy, climate strategy, or sustainability decision-making, this webinar offers a clear, evidence-based perspective on how to move from analysis to action.
The expert panel included the following contributors:
