Faced with ever-increasing waste generation in the Monterrey metropolitan area, which has a population of over 5 million, the Government of Nuevo León has undertaken the development of a Comprehensive Waste Management Plan based on a precise understanding of the waste streams generated within its territory.

Carried out as part of Franco-Mexican cooperation on waste and the circular economy, this study aimed to quantify and characterise the waste produced by households, markets, economic activities and major industries. The results provided a robust assessment of waste streams and helped to guide future strategies for reduction, recycling and recovery at state level.

Type of services provided

• Design of the methodology and sampling plan.

• Conducting surveys to characterise household and similar waste.
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis of industrial waste streams.
• Collection, processing and analysis of field data.
• Assessment of waste reduction, recycling and recovery practices.
• Preparation of a sector-specific assessment and formulation of strategic recommendations.
• Support for the preparation of the future Integrated Waste Management Plan.

The city of Manta generates nearly 250 tonnes of solid waste per day, of which only 2 per cent is currently recycled. Most of the waste is sent to a landfill site that has been in operation since the 1990s and no longer meets current technical standards. In response to these environmental, social and operational challenges, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), through its ‘Too Good to Waste’ programme, is supporting the municipality in developing a comprehensive strategy to improve solid waste management.

The pre-feasibility study identified the most appropriate technical, institutional and social solutions to modernise the service, increase waste recovery, improve processing conditions and promote the inclusion of informal waste pickers within the waste management system.

Type of services provided

• Assessment and characterisation of solid waste generation.

• Optimisation of collection, street-cleaning, recovery and final disposal services.
• Pre-feasibility study of waste recovery schemes.
• Pre-feasibility study of a controlled landfill site and the closure/redevelopment of the existing landfill.
• Development of a short-, medium- and long-term roadmap.
• Development of a social inclusion plan for waste pickers.

The municipality of Cuenca, through its public enterprise EMAC EP, has launched an ambitious programme aimed at improving the performance and sustainability of its solid waste management system. This transformative project combines the expansion of disposal capacity, the development of new recycling streams, the improvement of existing infrastructure and the strengthening of environmental awareness initiatives.

The feasibility study, funded by the AFD, assessed the programme’s relevance and its technical, environmental, social and financial viability, whilst defining an investment roadmap to support the sector’s transformation. The approach adopted covered the entire waste management chain, from collection through to recovery and final treatment, whilst taking into account climate, environmental, social and gender issues.

Type of services provided

• Institutional, regulatory and organisational assessment of the waste sector.

• Technical, financial, environmental and social feasibility studies.
• Identification of investment needs and prioritisation of waste management and recovery infrastructure.
• Assessment of treatment, recycling and circular economy solutions.
• Analysis of the programme’s economic and financial viability (CAPEX/OPEX).
• Conducting environmental, climate and social studies.
• Gender analysis and development of a dedicated action plan.
• Development of the operational roadmap and implementation timetable.
• Support for project governance, drafting of procedures and a communication plan.

In Mexico, many children suffer the consequences of limited access to drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities in their schools. In the states of Nuevo León and Chihuaha, each home to 5.3 million inhabitants, this problem affects not only health, but also the quality of the educational environment and the well-being of pupils.

In response to these challenges, UNICEF, in collaboration with CAWST, is implementing the Three Star model. This innovative approach is not limited to improving infrastructure: it aims to transform schools into sustainable environments, by integrating the teaching, practice and consolidation of healthy behaviours related to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

The WASH conditions of each school were assessed using the Three Star model, enabling them to be ranked from 0 to 3 stars according to their infrastructure, access to essential services and the behavioural practices in place.

Methodology and implementation

 

1. Data collection and analysis

– Assessment of conditions in 15 schools in Nuevo León and 50 schools in Chihuahua, with pilot tests to refine the tools.

– Procedures were devised to facilitate on-site collection of agents, structuring and capitalisation of data.

2. Local capacity building

– Alignment of criteria with SDG standards and adaptation to the local context.

– Training of local players to ensure the sustainability of the project.

3. Capitalisation and recommendations

– Validation of data, drafting of a technical report and development of a targeted action plan for each school.

Results and expected impact

– A healthy and safe school environment: schools become exemplary in terms of water and sanitation management.

– Promote sustainable habits: education and the daily practice of healthy behaviours reinforce the long-term impact.

– Provide a methodology that can be replicated: the Three Star approach and the tools developed make it possible to replicate these initiatives in other regions.

By integrating infrastructure, behavioural change and training, this project provides a clear vision of the state and needs of each school and lays the foundations for a future where every child can learn, grow and flourish in optimal conditions.

By developing the use of mini-grids, the project aims to create a sustainable market for the private sector in order to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fossil fuels such as diesel and paraffin, create jobs, improve productivity and reduce poverty and gender inequality. Access to electricity should also be improved, particularly in rural areas.
The specific objectives of this survey are to gather precise and representative data on the socio-demographic characteristics of households and businesses, their use of electrical energy or the alternatives used in the event of a lack of access to energy, as well as their opinion on the quality of the services received, the expenditure made in relation to the income level of these players, and the willingness and ability of households to pay for quality electrical energy. Following analysis of the count and survey data, recommendations for potential mini-grid operators were formulated.

Within Latin America, there is a multitude of gaps in the generation, monitoring, integration and presentation of information and data on access to drinking water and sanitation services, as well as in integrated water resources management. Through this project, the Consultant will carry out an exhaustive technical and institutional assessment of information management in the sector in four countries (Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Panama) in order to produce recommendations based on the indicators used in the OLAS (Latin American and Caribbean Observatory for Water and Sanitation) platform to monitor achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6.

EUROCLIMA+ is a European Union programme set up to provide a political and technical response to tackle the effects of climate change in 18 countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region. AFD manages part of the programme’s funds through 4 components that include water management for urban resilience and disaster risk reduction. AFD is responsible for implementing and monitoring 6 projects (4 and 2 per component respectively).

The aim of the assignment is to review and map areas in Bangui affected by flooding. The information collected through this mapping exercise will feed into institutional and community action plans on flood prevention, preparedness and management.

The AFD and the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Sanitation (MVCS) signed a technical cooperation agreement in 2018 to improve access to drinking water and sanitation for the people of Peru. IOWater is the partner in charge of implementing the technical expertise fund (FEXTE), part of which is being used to finance the support study for natural risk management.

Project to evaluate, assess and conduct pre-feasibility studies on water sources, treatment processes and water supply systems for the city of Manta, Ecuador for a design period of 40 years.