News from the President

David_NewmanDear Friends, Colleagues and ISWA Members

As I write this piece for our year-end newsletter I feel overwhelmed by the events happening over the last month and to happen over the next weeks. We were all horrified by the dreadful killings in Paris and an atmosphere of fear, at times panic, has spread over Europe. Yet it is here, in Paris, where leaders of our Governments from every corner of the planet will meet to try to forge a climate agreement. Such an agreement would be difficult in the most serene and peaceful surroundings. I wonder how much more nervous will our diplomats and politicians be and how much more intractable and unwilling to compromise as a result of the events of Paris, the tension between Turkey and Russia, the disturbing and vicious debate between Republican candidates for the Presidency of the USA, the fight against Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

How much more difficult will it be for oil producing nations to compromise with an oil price of $40 a barrel, which means bankruptcy for many of them. No wonder they are fighting tooth and nail against renewables and shale gas from the USA.

In this maelstrom of emotions and conflicting interests, ISWA will be participating trying to tell the story of how we are today, we, the waste industry, already long down the road to reducing emissions and keeping our planet healthy. But we know we have an enormous task ahead to complete our mission to bring sustainable waste management to all countries, and we will continue to push for that mission in Paris. After the COP21 ends we will inform you of the outcome.

Against this background the EU proposals for a new Waste Directive, which will be published on December 2nd, seem mild stuff indeed. Again ISWA will be at the centre of the debate as we were during the last month, illustrating to the European Commission how the waste industry can help develop a more circular and resource effecient economy. From the draft text I have read, the targets for waste recycling will still be very ambitious especially for the eastern European countries. And a target of 10% landfill by 2030 will be hard to meet in those nations. I think the watered down approach to organic waste collection is a mistake, this is really the waste stream to target with great force for climate reasons, as well as for soil fertility issues. Still, we have time over the next months to improve the proposal through negotiation and we should all push in the same direction to get a long-term, ambitious and enforceable Directive.

No time is left for the climate change negotiations in Paris. This is the last chance to make an agreement, and let's hope good sense, a wider view of humanitys' needs and a little less selfishness, manage to prevail.

In these times it is hard to be an optimist. But Christmas and New Year will give us all time to be with our families and reflect upon what is most important in our lives- waste can take second place for a few days ! And then we will begin again the merry-go-round of normal life in January.

Thank you for your support and thanks to all those volunteers, staff and colleagues on the Board who have helped make 2015 a memorable year. This has been an exceptionally successful period for ISWA and this is thanks to the efforts of everyone.

I wish you all the very best for the upcoming holidays and for a prosperous New Year.

David Newman
President, ISWA

Read more.

Teilen Sie diesen Beitrag