COP28: Voluntary recycling credits initiative launched, first global standard to incentivise recycling

In the face of the expanding global waste crisis, the world is struggling with a staggering generation of waste. Annually, individuals produce approximately 2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste.

When industrial, electronic, agricultural, and other economic activities are accounted for, this figure surges to an alarming 17-18 billion tonnes. With only half of this waste being managed, the remaining portion is contributing to significant environmental damage through landfilling, dumping, and burning, impacting soils, water resources, and air quality.

Considering this grim scenario, a new landmark initiative launched at COP28 will contribute to cutting the solid waste footprint.

An international consortium led by Roland Berger and BEEAH Group, in collaboration with DFINITY Foundation, and International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), has announced the world’s first global incentive system to counteract the solid waste footprint.

The public-private coalition introduced the Voluntary Recycling Credits (VRC) Initiative at the UAE Pavilion at COP28.

The initiative is supported by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment (MoCCaE) and the COP28 Presidency.

Hani Tohme, managing partner, Roland Berger Middle East said, “The VRC Initiative is built to solve a concrete market gap: with the private sector setting more commitments towards net-zero and circularity, we also acknowledge major barriers to deliver on it: double-counting, transparency, cost-effectiveness.

“We decided to tackle it through solid collaboration and exchange between the public and private sector, with a cross-national approach and a cooperative mindset. Involvement from different stakeholders across countries and multiple layers of the value chain is a crucial part of the VRC value proposition, which aims at a joint effort to shape the future industry standards.”

Announced in Paris in May by Roland Berger, BEEAH Group, and ISWA on the sidelines of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-2) in Paris, the VRC Initiative is poised to make a significant impact and transform global recycling practices.

It emphasises the responsibility of all stakeholders to mitigate their environmental impact, promoting standardised processes and transparency on offset activities.

The proof of concept for the VRC Initiative has been successfully developed, with the first live transaction showcased at the UAE Pavilion, COP28, on December 4.

The full-scale platform is set to be developed and officially launched in 2024. The initiative is actively seeking project investors, ecosystem partners for recycling credit trading, and technology collaborators for growing the system globally.

Voluntary recycling credits to compensate solid waste footprint through a transparent ecosystem

Khaled Al Huraimel, group CEO of BEEAH Group, commented on the VRC Initiative, stating, “BEEAH Group has been working relentlessly towards a zero-waste to landfill future, which we see as closely linked to fulfilling the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and broader sustainability agenda. While we drive increasing landfill waste diversion rates, accelerate the circular economy and support lower emissions in the UAE and the region, we want to enable a similar positive impact globally.

“The VRC Initiative is a standardised incentive that is inclusive of all stakeholders across sectors, from waste collectors and recycling companies to large organisations who are committing to addressing the environmental impact of waste produced in their operations.”

The VRC Initiative establishes a set of standardised rules and processes to enable institutions to compensate their solid waste footprint through a transparent ecosystem. This mechanism involves trading ‘recycling credits’ on a blockchain-based marketplace, ensuring auditable and secure transactions between waste offsetters and recycling companies. The initiative, which emphasises the additionality principle to incentivise more recycling worlwide, aims to boost the collection and recycling of solid materials, furthering the management of all types of waste.

The DFINITY Foundation will provide a solution built on the Internet Computer blockchain that will add credibility and scalability into the project, ensuring its viability as a global standard for recycling incentives.

“The VRC platform is a great showcase of how we use Web3 technology for tackling environmental issues. The Internet Computer Protocol technology from Dfinity is a perfect match for it,” says Pierre Samaties, partner and global head of Digital Assets and Web3.

Dominic Williams, founder and chief scientist of the DFINITY Foundation, expressed his views on the VRC Initiative, “The Internet computer is a fully decentralised and tamper-proof network. It guarantees a transparent, auditable, and secure record of recycling credits and transactions. This transparency ensures that all parties – waste producers or recyclers – can trust the veracity of the credits they purchase, sell, or trade.”

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