Each year, the COP reviews the national communications and emissions inventories submitted by the Parties to assess progress towards the objectives of the Convention.

Alongside the negotiations, Türkiye and Australia, as partner country, have launched the COP31 Action Agenda. It is built around ten priority themes, one of which is dedicated to “Zero Waste and Methane Emissions Reduction”. Methane and waste will therefore have a prominent place on the agenda in Antalya.

Third letter from the COP31 Presidency

FSWP’s position

FSWP calls for waste management to be integrated into local and national climate plans. Reducing the sector’s emissions also brings benefits for health, resources, urban resilience and jobs, and contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals.

• Prevent waste. Prevention offers the greatest mitigation potential, with 15 to 25% [1] of global greenhouse gas emissions. It relies on the transition to a circular economy: sufficiency, eco-design, reuse and the fight against food waste.
• Collect everywhere and for everyone. 2.7 [2] billion people still lack access to waste collection. Universal collection would also strengthen cities’ resilience to flooding.
• End waste mismanagement. Closing open dumps and uncontrolled landfills would reduce methane emissions by 80% [3].
• Recover materials and energy. Source separation enables the recycling of different waste streams and diverts organic waste from landfill through composting and anaerobic digestion.
• Improve landfills. Even with volumes reduced through prevention, they remain essential for non-recoverable waste.

These actions rely on the four enablers of the Global Push initiative: regulation and planning, inclusion of all stakeholders, sustainable financing, and measurement, reporting and verification.

Focus on methane

Methane is responsible for around 30% [4]. Because it only remains in the atmosphere for about a decade, cutting its emissions has a rapid effect on the climate, and the waste sector is one of the most immediate levers.

FSWP has worked with ISWA on a methane note for national delegations. It builds on the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Methane.

Call to national delegations on methane mitigation

To accompany this note, FSWP, in partnership with the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), has created an infographic in discussion with : the Household Waste Partnership (HWP) of the Basel Convention, the Global Methane Hub (GMH), the World Biogas Association (WBA), and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC). Designed for decision-makers and national delegations, it sets out the urgent actions needed to cut methane emissions from organic waste: preventing food loss and waste, phasing out open dumping and uncontrolled landfills, capturing methane from engineered landfills, and building circular, low-methane urban waste systems.

Infographic “Urgent Climate Action to Tackle Methane Emissions from Organic Waste” - English Only

FSWP’s participation

– Wednesday 11 November 2026, 11:30–13:00 - French Pavilion, Blue Zone
The Circular Economy in the Mediterranean—Accelerating Scaling Up Through Cooperation
Partners: Circe.Med

– Wednesday 11 November 2026, 17:00–18:00 - Health Pavilion, Blue Zone
Zero Waste, Healthy Planet – Circularity Without Harm
Partners: ISWA, Zero Waste Europe

Flyer “Zero Waste, Healthy Planet – Circularity without harm” - English only

– Tuesday 12 November 2026, 13:00-14:00 pm - Francophonie Pavilion, Blue Zone
Circe.med, the circular economy network working toward a Mediterranean region that sets an example in the fight against plastic pollution and climate change
Partners : Circe.Med

– Monday 16 November 2026, 17:15–18:00 - France Pavilion, Blue Zone
The Waste Sector to deliver Climate and “One Health” Benefits
Partners: ISWA, BRS Conventions

– Wednesday 18 November 2026, 11:30-12:30 - Water for Climate Pavilion
Where waste meets water: Joint mitigation actions from solid waste and wastewater
Partners: ISWA, BRS Conventions

– Wednesday 18 November 2026, 3:45–4:45 pm - France Pavilion, Blue Zone
From measure to action: methane data driving landfill emissions reduction
Partners: ADEME, Suez, Waga Energy, FNADE, Citepa, ISWA

Further events may be announced soon.

Know-how projects

FSWP plans to share and promote French expertise in connection with the climate COP.