Data for: Curbing global solid waste emissions toward net-zero warming futures

No global analysis has considered the warming that could be averted
through improved solid waste management and how much that could contribute
to meeting the Paris Agreement’s 1.5° and 2°C pathway goals or the terms
of the Global Methane Pledge. With our estimated global solid waste
generation of 2.56 to 3.33 billion tonnes by 2050, implementing abrupt
technical and behavioral changes could result in a net-zero warming solid
waste system relative to 2020, leading to 11 to 27 billion tonnes of
carbon dioxide warming–equivalent emissions under the temperature limits.
These changes, however, require accelerated adoption within 9 to 17 years
(by 2033 to 2041) to align with the Global Methane Pledge. Rapidly
reducing methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide emissions is necessary
to maximize the short-term climate benefits and stop the ongoing
temperature rise.