Many cities undertake both solid waste and climate action planning, but how well are they aligned and where are there opportunities for complementary strategies going forward?

Professionals at HDR – a firm specializing in engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services – recently analyzed climate action plans from 20 North American cities and counties and found a diverse range of more than 300 waste-related actions. They detailed their findings during a webinar Tuesday and discussed how embedding waste management strategies into regional decarbonization plans will be pivotal for long-term climate resiliency.

Research illuminated common ground across climate action plans and solid waste planning, although they don’t necessarily use the same language. There appear to be opportunities to collaborate to more efficiently meet goals in both areas, particularly given that they involve the same communities, policy leaders, and residents who are being asked to make behavior changes, explained Senior Waste/Environmental Project Manager Kate Bartelt. In many cases, residents are asking for programs through a climate lens, Bartelt said.

Read the full article about climate action by Maria Rachal at Waste Dive .