Garbage To Governance
One of the most significant issues in sustainable development
is translating the concept of the integration of economic, environmental
and social well–being into operational terms. Most development projects
focus on one aspect or at most two – some working on the interface
between environment and economy, others on social equity and economic
development etc. Similarly few projects make the connections between
policy and practice, or research and direct community action to reduce
poverty. In designing and implementing SEALSWIP, ICSC sought to focus on
integration and implementation of the concepts of sustainable urban
development. ICSC wished to demonstrate the systematic application of a
holistic approach. Throughout the project the holistic framework was the
backdrop used to consider interventions. The focus was on how to integrate
environmental, social and economic well–being into municipal solid
waste management.
In comparison with the myriad of excellent projects that have tackled
solid waste management, urban governance or poverty reduction for waste
pickers as discrete activities, the SEALSWIP project was able to
demonstrate significant positive results in all areas, and the integrated
and multiple stakeholder processes have since been institutionalized in
four of the cities. It applied many best practices in a new integrated way.
The cities became cleaner and greener, money was spent more efficiently
and effectively, policies and regulations were revised, collaborative
processes were developed and institutionalized, and as importantly, the
lives of the recyclers (junkers), waste pickers and their children were
changed for the better. Sharing of the learning among the cities was
encouraged and the lessons learned documented in videos, publications
and media coverage. Two of the cities won national awards, the project
itself was recognized in the Stockholm Awards and UN Habitat’s Best
Practices.
ICSC views these results as a demonstration of the increased impact
made possible by the systematic application of a holistic framework to
urban issues – one that integrates the three elements of
sustainability throughout and is based on a multi–stakeholder
participatory process.
One of the most interesting facets of this project is that it was
as much about governance as it was about garbage. Many of the major
challenges of helping the stakeholder committee make and implement
new programs are related to the issues of transparency of decision
making and ensuring that waste management initiatives developed by the
committee are not diverted for personal gain. As a result of the
stakeholder committee’s balanced approach to evaluating proposals,
several proposals that had support of high level officials, but did
not meet the criteria of sustainability determined by the stakeholder
committee were investigated and subsequently dropped. Previously, the
evaluation mechanisms in these municipalities were weak and the
municipality might have spent a significant amount of money only to
find the proposed solution or technology was not appropriate. As a
result of the stakeholder committee’s balanced approach to
project evaluation, there is more accountability in spending decisions
and municipal budgets are being more effectively used.
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Lessons
Learned 