The economic case for low carbon waste management in rapidly growing cities in the developing world: The case of Palembang, Indonesia.
The provision of appropriate waste management is not only an indicator of development but also of broader sustainability. This is particularly relevant to expanding cities in developing countries faced with rising waste generation and associated environmental health problems. Despite these urgent issues, city authorities often lack the evidence required to make well-informed decisions. This study evaluates the carbon and economic performance of low-carbon measures in the waste sector at a city level, within the context of a developing country. Palembang in Indonesia is used as a case of a medium-sized city in a newly industrialized country, with relevance to other similar cities in the developing world. Evidence suggests that the waste sector can achieve substantial carbon emission reductions, and become a carbon sink, in a cost effective way. Hence there is an economic case for a low carbon development path for Palembang, and possibly for other cities in developing and developed countries facing similar challenges.
Malaysia Japan International Institute of Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 54100, Malaysia. Electronic address: epapargyropoulou@yahoo.gr.
Effie
E
Papargyropoulou
School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, UK.
Sarah
S
Colenbrander
School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, UK.
Andrew Heshedahl
AH
Sudmant
School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, UK.
Andy
A
Gouldson
Department of Bioprocess Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
Lee Chew
LC
Tin
D002244:Carbon; D002947:Cities; D003906:Developing Countries; D017752:Greenhouse Effect / Q000517:prevention & control; D007214:Indonesia; D018505:Waste Management / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*
D002244:Carbon
Carbon emissions; Cities; Economic evaluation; Sustainable development; Waste management