Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions From Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in Oman

Introduction

Environmental sustainability is the core issue that will need to be addressed for development to focus on human well-being and yet stay within the limitations of the planet’s capacity. Environmentally sound waste management is one of the key elements for sustainable development. The idea of sustainability developed in the early 1980s as reported in the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme can be defined as “meeting fundamental human needs while preserving the earth natural environment” (IGBP, 1999). Since the earth's population is increasing, it is putting pressure on the earth’s resources. Today, sustainability has three essential pillars including environmental protection, social development, and economic growth, and sustainable development can be defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Sachs, 2015). The need for sustainable development is truly recognized by all countries and thus in 2015; the United Nations is able to introduce seventeen SDGs to be achieved by 2030 (UN-SDG, 2015). The United Nations under Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) of its SDGs aims to substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse. Data from 214 cities or municipalities in 103 countries show that about three-quarters of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated is collected (figure 2). In sub-Saharan Africa, less than half of all MSW generated is collected, with adverse effects on the health of residents. Moreover, even when waste is collected, it is often not treated and disposed of in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner. Managing such waste continues to be a major challenge facing urban areas in several regions. Appropriate waste management is important for conserving local and global environments. Appropriate waste management contributes to reducing not only the emissions of water/atmospheric pollutants and odors but also the emissions of greenhouse gases. In this regard, some studies have concluded that GHG emissions from different types of waste sectors constitute up to 4% of total global GHG emissions (IPCC, 2007). The fastly increasing amount of municipal waste in cities around the globe is connected with economic development as an increase in a city population creates a number of major challenges associated with economic development (Chen et al., 2010).