What a Waste 3.0 Report Launch Event: Informing the Future of Solid Waste Management toward Circularity

On May 29, 2026, World Bank Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC) hosted the launch of What a Waste 3.0: Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management toward Circularity, the latest edition of the World Bank Group's flagship report on municipal solid waste management. What a Waste series has been one of the most comprehensive global references in the sector providing critical data and analysis, to support evidence-based decision-making and planning in the Solid Waste Management sector.

The event brought together development partners, government representatives, practitioners, and technical experts in the solid waste management sector, providing an opportunity to discuss emerging global waste trends and reflect on lessons from Japan and developing countries. Discussions explored the implications of the report's findings for strengthening waste management systems and advancing circularity in diverse country contexts.

A New Global Snapshot of Waste Generation and Management

Opening the event, Kremena Ionkova, Global Lead for Solid Waste Management and Circularity at the World Bank and lead author of What a Waste 3.0, presented the report's key findings and their implications for cities worldwide. Drawing on data from 217 countries and economies and 262 cities, the report highlights that global municipal solid waste generation reached approximately 2.6 billion tons in 2022 and could increase by 50 percent by 2050 without major policy and investment shifts.

The presentation highlighted that while waste generation continues to rise rapidly, particularly in developing regions, progress in strengthening waste management systems has not kept pace. The findings emphasized the importance of improving collection services, controlled disposal, and financial sustainability, while also underscoring the growing links between waste management, climate impacts, public health, and economic development.

Waste-to-Energy in Context: The Importance of System Readiness

The event also introduced the upcoming Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Technical Note developed by the World Bank.

Presented by Rieko Kubota, Senior Program Officer at the Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC), , presented upcoming Technical Note, that illustrates the role of Waste-to-Energy (WtE) within integrated solid waste management systems based on the selected experiences from the Asian region. While WtE technologies can contribute to waste volume reduction and energy recovery, the discussion emphasized that sustainable WtE waste operation depends on several pre-conditions, including reliable quality and quantity of municipal waste streams, local institutional capacity, secured financial mechanism, and long-term operational readiness. The presentation reinforced the importance of viewing WtE as part of a broader waste management strategy rather than a standalone solution.

Japan's Transition toward a Circular Economy

Representatives from Japan's Ministry of the Environment (MOEJ) Sho Nakamura and Akihiko Nakagawa, shared Japan's experience in transitioning from basic waste management toward a circular economy. The presentations highlighted the country's comprehensive legal and institutional framework, including extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes and product-specific recycling regulations, which have supported improvements in resource efficiency and recycling performance in Japan in nearly last three decades. Japan's experience demonstrated that high-performing waste management and circular systems are built through long-term policy commitment, clearly defined stakeholder responsibilities, and sustained coordination across government, industry, and communities.

Lessons from Development Cooperation

Drawing on implementation experience in developing countries, Ai Koga of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) presented examples of Japanese waste management approaches adapted to African contexts.

The presentation highlighted the challenges many cities continue to face, including low collection coverage, limited institutional capacity, and constrained financial resources. The discussion emphasized the importance of phased and context-specific approaches that prioritize strengthening basic services before introducing more advanced waste management solutions.

Download the report here.

See the photos of the event here.

JICA's experience illustrated how improvements in planning, operations, and institutional capacity can create the foundation for longer-term system development.