Where Collaboration Delivers Results: The Community of Practice on Methane Mitigation Enters Phase II
Driving measurable methane reductions in the waste sector.
The Community of Practice on Organic Waste Methane Reduction (CoP MetLAC) is entering its second phase, deepening its emphasis on advocacy, peer-to-peer learning and networking while demonstrating measurable real-world impact in the waste sector. Building on early successes, Phase II will prioritize turning shared knowledge and collaboration into measurable methane reductions across the Global South.
The CoP MetLAC is a joint initiative between the Recycle Organics Program (led by the Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP) and ImplementaSur) and the LEDS LAC Regional Platform, with financial support from the Global Methane Hub (GMH). The Community brings together government representatives from Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru, Honduras, Costa Rica, Grenada and Guatemala, alongside regional organizations working to advance organic waste management and methane mitigation.
After its first two years, CoP MetLAC has become a key platform for action—bringing together nearly 50 stakeholders from 13 LAC countries and multiple sectors to exchange knowledge, foster collaboration and advance progress (at national, regional and local levels) toward the Global Methane Pledge’s goal of cutting methane emissions by 30% by 2030. This exciting new phase is poised to amplify this impact and continue driving momentum—not just within the region, but on the global stage as well.
“This exciting new phase reflects growing momentum in our work,” said CCAP Executive Director Allison Bender-Corbett. “What began as a regional platform for exchange and learning is now expanding to a platform that turns knowledge into action, directly supporting methane mitigation projects, policies and investments across the LAC region. Building on the progress already made, this phase enables more tailored support aligned with participants’ specific needs in waste management. It will be critical to deepening impact and fostering more targeted dialogue among members to address context-specific needs and priorities.”
The initiative will turn methane mitigation from an aspiration into an operating reality. Through its Implementation Lab, six high-potential projects will move from concept to execution, proving what’s possible when ambition meets support. A High-Ambition Group will be established to reset expectations, with peers pushing one another toward deeper, faster reductions. When challenges arise, an “Ask an Expert” helpline will keep progress moving with practical, real-time guidance. A regional project map will surface hidden opportunities and make them fundable, while in-person workshops will function as case clinics—where real problems are tackled, solutions are sharpened and momentum is sustained.
As we look ahead, there are vast opportunities to collaborate with new partners, share the lessons learned over the years and expand the CoP’s reach to create an even greater impact in the LAC region and beyond.
Watch | Organic Waste and Climate Action: Setting the Agenda for Phase II
The Intensified Urgency to Address the Methane Crisis
Despite stronger methane targets in countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and commitments under the Global Methane Pledge, implementation across the region remains slow, constrained by fragmented coordination and limited technical and financial capacity. The urgency is clear: by mid-2025, 65% of Paris Agreement countries had included methane-reduction measures in their NDCs or climate plans—a 38% increase from pre-2020 levels. Despite this fact, global methane emissions continue to rise.
Achieving the Global Methane Pledge will require the rapid deployment of proven, ready-to-implement waste-sector solutions, including composting, anaerobic digestion, vermicomposting, landfill gas capture and black soldier fly technologies. CoP MetLAC was created not just to discuss these opportunities, but to help close these growing implementation gaps.
The webinar, Organic Waste and Climate Action: Key Messages from COP30, brought together 363 participants from 30 countries to unpack the implications of COP30 outcomes for organic waste management and methane mitigation, with a particular focus on the LAC region. By translating global climate negotiations into relevant, regional insights for policy, investment and on-the-ground action, the discussion positioned CoP MetLAC as a critical bridge between ambition and implementation. In doing so, the webinar set the tone for Phase II—reinforcing the CoP’s role as a platform for dialogue across the public sector, civil society and private actors, grounding international commitments in practical, collaborative action.
Key Phase II Objectives
- Strengthen practitioners’ capacities to design and implement methane mitigation policies and projects related to organic waste across the food system (generation, collection, treatment and recovery).
- Provide hands-on implementation support and connect actors to climate finance and other partners.
- Expand and sustain a regional, cross-sector network that solves real problems collaboratively.
- Raise awareness about the urgency and benefits of methane mitigation from organic sources.
- Improve and expand data tools and project pipelines to accelerate climate action.
- Broaden the scope to include agriculture, agroindustry, retail and food loss and waste (excluding enteric fermentation and rice cultivation).
Understanding the Founding CoP Principles: Purpose, Impact and Value
- During the first phase of this initiative, knowledge sharing and participation was essential because the awareness of the link between organic waste and climate change remains low. The group aimed to address this—especially among policymakers and private sector actors in the waste sector—by highlighting the significant opportunities to reduce emissions and drive climate action. This next CoP iteration transforms the group into a reference platform and an action-oriented driver for methane mitigation from organic sources, leading to more project implementation on the ground.
- One key aspect that sets this Community of Practice apart is its strong technical assistance component. In addition to fostering regional exchange, the Community selected and prioritized five countries to receive targeted support. This included the development of pre-feasibility studies, business model concepts and policy recommendations to advance organic waste initiatives at the national or city level.
Past MetLAC Successes
- As part of its commitment to driving impactful action, the Community of Practice provided targeted technical assistance to five member institutions and countries across the region. These initiatives aimed to strengthen investment readiness, enhance public policy and support innovative business models for organic waste management:
- Composting Project: Municipality of Castro in Chile – A completed socio-economic pre-evaluation of a composting project in Castro for the Ministry of Environment in Chile, focused on assessing technical and financial feasibility to support informed investment decisions.
- Composting Plant in Buenos Aires – A preliminary technical and economic analysis for an intensive composting plant in Buenos Aires (CABA), Argentina, focused on assessing technical and financial feasibility to support informed investment decisions.
- Anaerobic Digestion Plant in the Municipality of El Colegio in Colombia – Ongoing development of recommendations to strengthen the business model for an anaerobic digestion plant in the municipality of El Colegio for the Vice-Ministry of Energy, Colombia.
- National Educational Program of Organic Waste in Chile – Providing the Ministry of Environment in Chile with further recommendations to enhance its National Educational Program for Organic Waste for its official Organic Waste Strategy (ENRO). Check out this recent blog!
The Community of Practice has also developed a range of knowledge products, including:
- A compilation of regulations and policy documents on methane emissions in the waste sector across Latin American countries, including Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Brazil. This includes a digital map and fact sheets for each country, outlining projects and initiatives aimed at reducing methane emissions from organic waste.
- Mapping methane emissions reduction projects from organic waste in Latin America and the Caribbean
- The CoP has been collaborating with a bioenergy group to develop a map that highlights existing waste recovery projects across the LAC region. This resource serves as valuable input for researchers and policymakers and as a reference for future initiatives. It covers key technologies like composting, anaerobic digestion, landfill gas capture and other organic waste recovery methods that help reduce methane emissions.
Collective Action for Measurable Climate Results
Reducing methane emissions from organic waste is essential to achieving climate mitigation targets in Latin America and the Caribbean, while also delivering broader benefits such as cleaner local environments, renewable energy, green jobs and circular economy outcomes. The CoP plays a critical role in aligning often fragmented efforts—such as recycling, anaerobic digestion and composting—with national climate and development priorities by facilitating collaboration, knowledge sharing and technical support across the region. By connecting on-the-ground initiatives to national goals and elevating best practices led by countries and subnational actors, the Community of Practice helps unlock greater visibility, funding and impact.
To learn more about how the CoP MetLAC is helping to bridge this gap and accelerate action on the ground, visit the CoP MetLAC webpage.