The Recycle Organics team is in Guyana from July 8-12,with the support of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The team is here to accelerate the programme’s progress in supporting the country to reduce its methane emissions from the waste sector. During the event, the team will present the home composting programme to the community and provide composting bins for families around the country to take home.
The pilot home composting programme will support local communities across Guyana, creating significant environmental, economic and social benefits. The Recycle Organics team hosted an introductory meeting at the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development on July 8 in Georgetown, convening representatives from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the Guyana Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Land and Survey Commission, and the Office of Climate Change.
A presentation of the home composting programme to authorities and community leaders is scheduled for Tuesday July 9, at 14:00 (local time), followed by a training session at Hararuni Girl’s Home at 16:00, where home composting bins will be delivered to families and neighbors from different parts of the country. The Recycle Organics team will support the equipment delivery and monitor their correct use during the subsequent months.
“Canada is pleased to support Guyana in reducing climate warming methane emissions from its solid waste sector,” said the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “Tackling climate change is a global effort and includes assisting local communities in taking immediate and practical climate actions. Canada commends Guyana for its leadership in home composting and looks forward to continuing to work together to achieve our commitments under the Global Methane Pledge to reduce these emissions by 30 percent by 2030.”
Home composting is the most cost-effective method to manage organic waste. Composting at home allows families and communities to significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, which in turn decreases methane emissions—the culprit behind nearly 45% of global warming today. Additionally, home composting enriches soil, promotes healthy plant growth and educates people on sustainable waste management.
The underlying goal of the Recycle Organics program is to help the countries it supports achieve the Global Methane Pledge of reducing their methane emissions by 30% by 2030. The Program, led by CCAP and ImplementaSur, focuses on policy and projects, helping to create enabling conditions for a sustainable expansion of organic waste treatment technologies and develops a community of practice within the regions it supports.
Recycle Organics has a particular focus on working with developing countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which have historically contributed the least to climate change but are typically hit the hardest by its cascading effects. Many of these countries are especially vulnerable to extreme heat, intensified storms and flooding because of the warming planet, making the goals of the Paris Agreement to keep warming below 1.5°C evermore critical.
The event takes place within the context of a long-term commitment with Guyana and other SIDS, including Belize, Saint Lucia and Grenada, aiming to provide technical assistance and develop a pipeline of projects within the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) sector, while helping countries develop national policies that transform the sector in the long term and reduce methane emissions.
“Drawing from our rich experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean, we’ve been instrumental in supporting Guyana and Small Island Developing States (SIDS),” said ImplementaSur Director, Gerardo Canales. “This trip is an opportunity to highlight our ongoing efforts in Guyana over the past year, outline our objectives for 2025 and introduce the pilot home composting programme to the community. We believe this programme will not only make a significant contribution in waste reduction but also inspire a shift in people’s attitudes and behavior towards waste management.”
The Recycle Organics programme works with over 20 countries around the world to cut methane emissions from the waste sector. Projects developed through the programme could mitigate up to +30.1 million tons of CO2e. To learn more about the Programme, visit the website here.
