Our editors curate highly rated brands that are first assessed by our rigorous ratings system. Buying through our links may earn us a commission—supporting the work we do. Learn more. Nike still has a way to go on the ethics and sustainability front with a score of “It’s a Start” overall, based on our […]
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Hooray – together with you we have achieved incredible goals so far. We can hardly believe it ourselves: With your search, we have already supported 50 projects and thus 50 groundbreaking solutions for a better world. All this would not have been possible without your help and that of all GOOD users. THANK YOU for every single search request! This is a good opportunity to take a look at what we have accomplished together and to give a short update on some GOOD projects of the past years.
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With a growing focus in corporate and business circles on waste management, the circular economy and sustainable resource consumption, Waste Expo Australia 2023 comes at an opportune time for leaders to discuss trends, challenges and opportunities for the sector.
With a core theme of ‘Advancing Towards Sustainable Resource Recovery’, Waste Expo Australia features a multi-stream conference and exhibition that will showcase the best and brightest of the waste industry in Australia. Held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre over two days from 25–26 October, attendees interested in resource recovery, sustainability, environment and circularity will have plenty to discover.
The annual conference attracts over 2700 attendees and 60 conference speakers over four streams hosting 100 sessions including:
Reuse is the way to go! Say goodbye to single-use, presented by Sandra Mack, Sustainability Victoria.
An opportunity not to waste: The case for collaboration across the value chain, presented by Richard Pittard, Cleanaway.
The central role of waste to energy in a circular economy, presented by Benoit Englebert, Keppel Seghers.
Close the Loop — Turning problem plastic waste into high-value products within the same community the waste was generated, presented by Steve Morriss, Close the Loop.
Consultant and innovator Scott McArdle will contribute to several sessions in the Waste to Energy stream, addressing new technologies on the waste-to-energy scene. McArdle’s company, Zerogen, is investing in waste to hydrogen (WXH) technology, which he says has a key role to play in decarbonising both the waste economy and regional economies.
“The waste-to-energy sector is an under-utilised area of impact when it comes to addressing waste management challenges and supporting sustainable solutions. There are several key issues facing the industry in Australia, including policy and regulatory challenges, waste composition and investment.”
Outside the conference, more than 100 international and domestic suppliers will exhibit including Bucher Municipal, EEA Group, Repurpose It, Komatsu, Eldan Recycling and TOMRA Collections, making Waste Expo Australia a good sourcing platform for waste and resource recovery sectors fostering an environment that encourages innovation, robust discussions and idea generation among industry leaders.
Warrick Grime from Bucher Municipal says the opportunity to connect with the industry over two action-packed days is a time-efficient one.
“The waste management industry is in a period of transformation, with ideas like circularity and sustainability coming to the forefront of the national conversation. Being on the ground to connect with fellow industry at Waste Expo Australia allows us to form valuable relationships and share ideas to move the industry forward.”
Waste Expo Australia is strongly supported by industry associations, with the Victorian Waste Management Association (VWMA), Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) and Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) all playing key roles in the event’s programming.
Both the conference and exhibition are free to attend, with registrations open now. Register to attend Waste Expo Australia 2023 at www.wasteexpoaustralia.com.au.
Our planet has nearly 300,000 species of flowering plants. Among animals, only beetles can compete with that number.
The post Botanizing is a great way to engage with life around you appeared first on Sustainability Times.
Bike Sharing in Latin America: How the CFF Contributed to Bogotá´s Journey Towards Sustainable Transportation
acox
Mon, 09/25/2023 – 17:02
Bike sharing systems play a pivotal role in promoting sustainable transportation within cities, especially in regions where the demand for innovative mobility options is pressing. Some Latin American countries have witnessed a significant surge in the popularity of biking as a viable transportation method, making bike sharing systems all the more appealing.
The city of Bogotá, Colombia, in collaboration with the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF), has established an extensive bike sharing system, covering an impressive area of 27 square kilometers with 3,000 bikes. This groundbreaking project serves as the initial phase of a larger national cluster encompassing the cities of Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Montería, and Cali, with a projected monthly user base of 81,000 individuals. This initiative marks both the CFF’s first cluster project and an innovative endeavor in the region, showcasing the city’s commitment to sustainable and accessible urban mobility.
The CFF is implemented by GIZ and the C40 Cities Network and financed by USAID together with the governments of Germany, France, and the UK. It supports cities across Asia, Africa, and Latin America in preparing and unlocking finance for sustainable urban infrastructure projects. The CFF expects to have leveraged over $1 billion in climate finance by 2025 and reduced or avoided 7.5 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
How to Develop a Successful System
Implementing a successful bike sharing system requires a tailored approach that accounts for the unique characteristics and requirements of each city rather than simply adopting a one-size-fits-all model. The successful integration of bike sharing systems with existing public transportation is also key, meaning people can see themselves using bikes as a last-mile mode of transportation to reach their final destinations, such as education centers, health care facilities, work, and home.
When it comes to financing bike sharing systems, there are three main approaches: publicly owned and operated, publicly owned and privately operated, and privately owned and operated. Cities in Latin America have employed all three models, but recently there has been a growing preference for privately owned and operated systems, particularly driven by the rise of dockless systems. Despite bike sharing projects generally not requiring substantial funds (ranging from $900 to $3,500 per bike according to estimates by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy), they can face challenges accessing external financing because of the small project size. An additional key concern is covering operational and maintenance costs over time, which ensures systems remain attractive and functional.
In Colombia, legal restrictions prevented Bogotá from accessing adequate sources to finance cycling projects. However, the CFF stepped in to provide valuable technical support, assisting the city in analyzing the different options of public funding for bike sharing systems and making recommendations regarding the change of rules and regulations. This support enabled the city to utilize advertising revenues as a financing source for cycling initiatives, overcoming the funding hurdles and facilitating the development of sustainable and accessible bike sharing projects. Moreover, the CFF assisted the city in creating a coherent and financeable project, with balanced risks between the city and the private operator. Through a tender, a private operator was selected and the system began operations in September 2022.
Image
Colombian woman riding electric bike in the streets of Bogotá.
Photo Credit: Secretaría Distrital de Movilidad de Bogotá
An Innovative and Inclusive Model
The Colombia bike sharing program’s strong equity and inclusion focus, particularly its gender equity and Leave No One Behind values, make it unique in the region. Research reveals that women’s transportation needs differ from those of men due to their societal roles, while other factors like age, disability, and ethnicity can impact their access to safe and inclusive transportation. To gain insights into gender-specific needs in urban mobility in Colombia, as well as the gender impact of improved non-motorized transport, CFF conducted a gender analysis through technical assessments and online surveys in which 54 percent of the participants were women. Additionally, each city conducted its own gender analysis. The team examined how individuals of different genders and ages utilize cycling as a mode of transportation and collaborated with women, children, and people with disabilities to design prototypes for bikes.
The outcome was an extensive document featuring over 100 gender-sensitive recommendations covering various technical aspects of the bike sharing system, including the ideal weight, size, and design of bicycles. The team also emphasized the importance of incorporating handbikes, baskets, child seats, and cargo bikes in the Bogotá project to cater to care-related journeys for women.
This project played a vital role in facilitating a transformation in how the city approaches inclusive cycling projects, making it easier to access finance for climate action initiatives. For more resources on implementing bike sharing systems and the CFF’s work with the Colombia cluster, please check out the CFF website and the resources in the CFF’s knowledge library.
Teaser Text
Bike sharing systems play a pivotal role in promoting sustainable transportation within cities, especially in regions where the demand for innovative mobility options is pressing. The city of Bogotá, Colombia has established an extensive bike sharing system, showcasing the city’s commitment to sustainable and accessible urban mobility.
Publish Date
Fri, 09/29/2023 – 12:00
Author(s)
Gabriela Salgado
Hero Image
ebike_bogota_2.jpg
Blog Type
Blog Post
Strategic Objective
Mitigation
Region
Latin America & Caribbean
Topic
Emissions
Climate Finance
Infrastructure
Urban
Green Cities
Country
Colombia
Sectors
Climate
Infrastructure
Urban
