{
  "id": 19529695,
  "title": "COP31: GAYO pushes for climate finance to reach waste pickers and zero waste communities",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/cop31-gayo-pushes-for-climate-finance-to-reach-waste-pickers-and-zero",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-11T17:21:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/cop31-gayo-pushes-for-climate-finance-to-reach-waste-pickers-and-zero-waste-communities/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "At COP31, the Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO) urged governments and climate financiers to direct climate finance to waste pickers and zero waste communities, rather than costly incineration projects. The focus was on press conference titled “Zero Waste COP – Incinerators Out. Zero Waste In.” at GAIA’s media event in Antalya, Türkiye, on November 11. GAYO's Zero Waste Director, Jacob Johnson Attakpah, highlighted the imbalance in climate finance distribution. He argued that funds should reach communities already delivering solutions, emphasizing that financing should support separation, collection, reuse, and composting while recognizing waste pickers and other informal sector actors. This call comes amid growing concerns about waste as a climate issue; municipal solid waste and wastewater produce nearly 20% of human-caused methane, and about 40% of the world's waste is openly burned. GAIA's Climate Program Director, Mariel Vilella, stressed that zero waste is climate action when problems are addressed at their source—preventing waste and expanding reuse and composting. GAIA's report on Africa's waste crisis reveals that more than US$4 billion is invested in waste-to-energy projects across 10 African countries, with public funds being the primary source. The report warns that waste-to-energy projects can harm informal waste workers' earnings. GAIA's Executive Director, Weyinmi Okotie, emphasized the need for waste solutions tailored to Africa's actual waste reality. The Clean Air Fund's 2026 report on global air quality funding shows that only less than 1% of international development funding (less than US$1 in every US$100) goes directly to tackling outdoor air pollution. However, UNEP and CCAC's Hidden Assets report found that every US$1 invested in addressing air pollution and climate change together yields about US$15 in economic benefits. GAYO's Zero Waste Accra model, which won the 2024 Earthshot Prize, supports 500 waste pickers, diverts waste from landfills and open burning, and aims to divert 4,000 tonnes of waste by 2030. Ghana's updated climate plan, with circular economy and waste management as one of its five pillars, is expected to cost about US$53.3 billion over ten years, aiming to cut methane from waste disposal by at least 30% by 2030. COP31 concluded in Antalya on November 20.",
  "summary": "The Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO) has called on governments and climate financiers at COP31 to channel climate finance directly to the waste pickers, communities and cities already delivering zero waste solutions, rather than to costly incineration projects. Speaking at a press conference titled “Zero Waste COP – Incinerators Out. Zero Waste In.”, organised by the Global Alliance for…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}