Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions

Thomas-Hope, 1998) have highlighted the importance of such public-private partnerships for increased efficiency and flexibility in waste governance. In Latin America, municipalities commonly exercise their responsibilities directly or through contracted

private operators (large companies and/or microenterprises). Other arrangements can include public-private partnerships, cooperatives and microenterprises, which are often created to manage recycling.

Waste legislation in relation to mountains

National and sub-national legislation National and sub-national legislation that specifically concerns waste management in mountain regions is largely non-existent. Mountain regions generally fall under the same national and sub-national waste legislation as other geographic regions and are not given any special consideration. Similarly, international legislation, such as conventions on waste management (for example, the Basel and Stockholm Conventions), apply equally to mountain regions, once adopted into national legislation. Several countries have enacted national and sub-national laws for the equitable and sustainable development of mountains that may have some bearing on waste management practices in mountains. These laws aim to promote the socioeconomic development of mountain communities while simultaneously protecting mountain ecosystems. Examples of this approach can be found in Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland, Canada, Nepal, Georgia and Russia (North Ossetia/Alania). International legislation At the international level, there are only two mountain-specific conventions that address the sustainable development of mountain regions. These both have implications for waste management. The Alpine Convention is an international treaty bringing together eight European nations and the European Union for the sustainable development and protection of the European Alps. Article 2 includes an objective “to develop a system of waste collection, utilization and disposal whichmeets the special topographic, geological and climatic requirements of the Alpine region, paying particular attention to waste avoidance”. The protocol for implementing soil conservation also touches (cursorily) upon the issue of waste management. A specific Implementing Protocol for waste management is yet to be formulated (Alpine Convention, n.d.). The Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians (Carpathian Convention) brings together seven states and is the only multi-level governance mechanism that applies to the entire

mountainous region. Article 6 on ‘Sustainable and Integrated Water/River Basin Management’refers to adequate sanitation and treatment of wastewater. The Convention does not directly refer to ‘waste’ but Article 10 on ‘Industry and Energy’ states that the parties to the convention “shall promote cleaner production technologies, in order to adequately prevent, respond to and remediate industrial accidents and their consequences, as well as to preserve human health and mountain ecosystems”. It also states that parties “shall aim at reducing adverse impacts of mineral exploitation on the environment and ensuring adequate environmental surveillance on mining technologies and practices”. Other conventions have a specific bearing on mountain ecosystems, resources and populations. These include the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). In light of the impact of human activities and waste on the environment, all of these conventions are concerned with waste management. Declarations and ‘soft-law’ instruments also exist that concern mountain peoples and ecosystems. Chapter 13 of Agenda 21, ‘Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development’, recognizes the fragility of mountain ecosystems and outlines the environmentally- sound management of municipal solid waste. This includes maximizing the 3Rs (Reuse-Reduce-Recycle) for safe and sound waste management. Two of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals emphasize the importance of pursuing sustainable mountain development. Mountain-related targets are listed under goal 6.6, which aims to “… protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers...” and goal 15.4, which aims to “… ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development” (United Nations Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform, 2015).

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