Public consultation now open: Updated Waste Management Criteria

The waste sector accounts for around 20% of total anthropogenic methane emissions, making it the third-largest source globally, after livestock and oil and gas. 

Improving waste management systems presents a significant opportunity to reduce emissions while delivering wider environmental and social benefits. This is especially critical in developing economies, where open dumping and burning remain widespread practices, contributing to severe environmental degradation and public health risks. 

To ensure capital is directed towards waste management solutions aligned with climate mitigation goals, Climate Bonds has launched a public consultation on the updated Waste Management Criteria under the Climate Bonds Standard and Certification Scheme. Feedback is invited until 8 May 2026. 

The revised criteria aim to strengthen the role of sustainable waste management in mitigating climate change, particularly by addressing methane emissions, one of the most potent greenhouse gases. 

Key updates to the Waste Management Criteria 

Originally launched in October 2019, the Waste Management Criteria have been revised under the Global Methane Hub project, as part of Climate Bonds’ broader effort to expand credible, science-based guidance for methane mitigation across sectors. 

The new Waste Management Criteria address municipal solid waste and agriculture residues for specific activities, such as composting and biochar production.  

The figure below provides an overview of the Waste Management activities in scope. 

These are the new mitigation measures and activities eligible for Certification under the Waste Management Criteria: 

Mitigation Measures 

• Landfill gas capture
• Landfill retrofitting and upgrade measures
• Carbon capture and storage
• Carbon capture and utilisation
• Heat recovery
• Digital tools and sensors to monitor and measure methane emissions 

Activities 

• Waste collection, transport and storage 
• Waste Sorting, Separation and Materials Recovery Facility
• Facilities processing recyclable waste fractions into secondary raw materials 
• Facilities collecting, sorting, cleaning, refurbishing, reconditioning and/ or repairing products
• Composting
• Anaerobic digestion
• Production of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Products 
• Dumpsite closure and rehabilitation:
• Upgrade into a new controlled engineered landfill
• In-place closure through waste coverage
• Closure by waste removal from the site
• Thermal treatment
• Production of power and/or heat/ cooling by the thermal processing of residual waste, including rejections from recycling/ composting/ Anaerobic digestion.
• Production of biochar from organic waste 

Public consultation now open 

Climate Bonds invites stakeholders across the finance, waste management and policy communities to provide feedback on the proposed updates. 

Your input will help ensure the Criteria remain robust, practical and aligned with the latest science and market developments, supporting the growth of credible, investable waste sector solutions. 

Submit your feedback and take part in the consultation: 

• Consultation open until: 8 May 2026
• Submit your feedback: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=GE8MhkEUNEOcgH5MhvI7rzGMFA6dloREnUsBF_6JRLNUNE5DRjk4N0JRWTRLN05RUzc1MVYwN0o5WC4u