The impacts of the ongoing unsustainable, linear model of “make-use-dispose” require a paradigm shift, one where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. In the Mediterranean, a region which is more subject to global warming and faces contrasting social, economic and political realities, in general, and specifically regarding governance of waste management, the need to speed up the transition towards a Green, Zero Waste economy is urgent. For this transition to be socially inclusive and meaningful, mechanisms to facilitate exchange of experiences and capacity building, both for public and private stakeholders can promote circular economy and waste reduction across the municipal waste management chain in the Mediterranean region.

To address this need, the Med4Waste project aims to facilitate new governance models for urban solid waste management to ensure informed decisions are taken for the reduction of waste and recovery of organic matter, considering the prevailing social, economic and climatic conditions of the region. As such, this online event is a unique opportunity to further disseminate successful practices and have a multi-level impact by enhancing mutual learning opportunities. 

This webinar showcased different capacity building schemes developed by Med4Waste, and other projects working on improving waste management practices in the Mediterranean. Some examples are the Med4ZeroWaste & Circular Economy Course, the project’s Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to share knowledge on local challenges, solutions and initiatives; the ongoing targeted Mentoring Schemes which provide guidance and technical support to six sub-national public authorities in charge of planning, collecting, and managing waste in southern Mediterranean countries; and the pairing scheme between waste management experts and local administration to co-develop solutions to local challenges through tailor-made actions. 
 

Webinar details

• Title: The power of capacity building schemes: moving towards a Zero Waste Mediterranean
• EU Green Week Partner Event: Skills for sustainable, resilient, and socially fair communities
• Thursday 8th of June from 10:00am to 12:00pm CET 
• Live interpretation in English, French, and Arabic