IN-PERSON Barcelona. Section A

Abstract

The food system is one of the world’s largest GHG emissions generators, accounting for 32% of the global emissions. In Spain, about 3.9 tons of solid urban waste are generated each year, the management of which results in 13.1 million tons of CO2eq emitted annually. In Catalunya, the organic waste fraction represents 37% of the total solid urban waste and its treatment produces approximately 27.7% of the CO2eq emissions generated in waste treatment, with only 10.3% of the total organic waste treated through composting. Considering the amount of organic waste and the CO2eq emissions it can produce, this work focuses on proposing a methodology to evaluate worldwide case studies that focus on reducing the emissions of organic waste, and closing the organic matter circularity in cities. With this, a careful selection of optimal actions were deducted. Using this methodology, the neighborhood of La Pau, in Barcelona, was used as a case study to evaluate its current status, and develop a set of actions that can improve its circularity. With this, two scenarios were created, one that could meet suboptimal results with minimum action, and another with a higher intervention with possibly ideal results, with the principal aim to reduce the CO2eq emissions of organic waste management. The results show that, even with minimal action, a big difference can be achieved. Focusing on composting, social participation, and waste reduction as the main methods, at least 66% of the CO2eq emissions can be reduced from organic waste treatment.