COP31: Experts call for zero waste, as Africa grapples with mounting garbage

What the report says

As COP31 opened in Turkey this week, France 24 reported that environmental experts are urging governments to prioritize zero-waste strategies as African countries face a rising garbage crisis. The report says the debate comes as policymakers look for practical ways to manage waste while also limiting the climate and health harms associated with poor disposal systems.

According to the France 24 piece, a recent report warns that waste-to-energy incineration is gaining ground across the continent. That development is significant because it could shape how cities and states respond to increasing volumes of trash, especially where landfill capacity, collection services, and recycling systems are already under pressure. The article frames the issue as part of a broader struggle over whether African waste policy should focus on reducing and reusing materials or on burning garbage for energy.

France 24 said it spoke with Mponwe Minette, founder and executive director of Soft Power Global and a climate activist, for perspective on the issue. The article does not provide detailed policy proposals in the text supplied, but it situates the discussion within the wider COP31 climate summit and the growing attention to waste management in Africa. In general, zero-waste approaches emphasize prevention, reuse, sorting, and recycling, while incineration remains controversial for environmental and public-health reasons.