ISWA releases statement responding to US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change

As Donald Trump pulls the plug on the United States' involvement in the Paris Agreement on climate change, International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) President Antonis Mavropoulos says ISWA stands with all the industry and political leaders who have since spoken out against Donald Trump’s actions. Vienna-based ISWA says the move “is an affront to science, our planet and to our future generations.”

Mavropoulos’ statement reads:

“The recent announcement that the USA is leaving the Paris Accord is a decision that will create huge profits for the fossil fuels industry and huge costs for the whole planet, especially for the poorest and more vulnerable countries and populations.

“It demonstrates how vulnerable and politically fragile is a landmark agreement that took many years to be developed. It highlights that the available tools and mechanisms for a global response to planetary challenges are not yet strong enough. It also reminds us that the road towards the implementation of the Paris Accord will be a continuous fight against long-term established interests that still try to dominate our future.

“The immediate reactions from 61 U.S. mayors and three U.S. states, in combination with the global outrage against Donald Trump’s decision, confirm that the world will find a way to respond to this historical pushback that puts the whole planet at risk. I do hope that this decision will create a new wave of coordinated efforts to implement and stimulate climate adaptation and mitigation measures.

“This decision is also a clear sign of the divorce between U.S. climate policy and science. In today’s complex, multipolar and interconnected world, science and scientific analysis remain the key elements for proper policymaking. ISWA, as a scientific organization, will always advocate and contribute to involve more and not less science in public policies and decision-making.

“The message for all of us is clear. ISWA will work harder to ensure that the Paris Accord, as a minimum measure to avoid the planet’s catastrophe, will stay on track. We will work more intensively to close the world’s biggest dumpsites and ensure that this will result in substantial reduction of CO2 emissions. We will continue to demonstrate that integrated sustainable waste management is a key contribution to climate change mitigation efforts and a cornerstone of the Sustainable Development Goals. ISWA will insist to transform the waste sector, worldwide, to a net CO2 saver, as the evolution of the waste sector in Europe has already highlighted. 

Sponsored Content

SENNEBOGEN 340G telehandler improves the view in Macon County, NC

An elevated cab is one of several features improving operational efficiency at the Macon County Solid Waste Management agency in North Carolina. When it comes to waste management, efficiency, safety and reliability are priorities driving decisions from day one, according to staff members of the Macon County Solid Waste Management Department in western North Carolina. The agency operates a recycling plant in a facility originally designed to bale incoming materials. More recently, the building has undergone significant transformations centered around one machine: a SENNEBOGEN telehandler (telescopic handler).

We should never allow science to be defeated by fake news. We cannot afford a revenge of Middle Ages against Renaissance.”