Waste Pickers and Climate Change


Waste pickers are workers in the informal economy who recover recyclable materials from waste. They are invisible entrepreneurs on the frontlines of the fight against climate change, earning livelihoods from recovery and recycling, reducing demand for natural resources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Events




World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth

Cochabamba, Bolivia
19-22 April 2010

Waste Picker Activities in Copenhagen


In December the world's attention was drawn to Copenhagen for one of the largest international meetings about climate change. Jaiprakash Chaudhary (better known as Santu) representing Safai Sena (a waste recycler association), and Chintan staff person, Malati Gadgil, both actively participated in the climate change talks. Read more about their experiences.

Waste Pickers on the Frontline Against Climate Change press conference at the COP 15 Climate Change Talks.

In the News:
"Wastepickers of the world unite at climate talks"
By Agence France Presse

"KKPKP puts forth the merits of recycling at Copenhagen" By Laxmi Birajdar, TNN

Blog

Waste Pickers and Climate Change Blog

Feature Publications


Cooling Agents
Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation by the Informal Recycling Sector in India

Almost 1% of the population in cities of the developing world is made up of recyclers, mostly informal and largely poor. Most of them are scarcely acknowledged legally. If, as common sense suggests, they save greenhouse gases by recycling, then it is unfair to ignore their mitigation work in cities.

Download the pdf... >>

Bonn Statement

Click here for the Climate Change Fact Sheet and Delegates Statement.

 

Open Letter


Protect the Climate
through Recycling!  

Please sign this open letter to be delivered to climate negotiators in Copenhagen. The new climate treaty must support efforts to increase recycling through the informal sector, instead of funding incinerators and landfill gas systems.

 

Download the pdf... or go directly to the on-line version