Beyond an Age of Waste: Turning Rubbish into a Resource - Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 for Youth

This report, jointly published with the Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP (CYMG), provides an updated analysis of global waste generation and management since 2018. Building on the response to UNEP Resolutions 2/7 and 4/7, it delivers a comprehensive examination of current waste trends and management outcomes across diverse regions and income brackets, reflecting both progress and ongoing challenges. Data-driven insights outline the impacts of various waste management scenarios on public health, ecosystems, and economic stability, emphasizing the disproportionate risks faced by infants, children, and youth—whose developing bodies and immune systems are especially vulnerable to waste-related toxins. The document offers actionable guidance for governments, municipalities, financial institutions, businesses, and citizens, underlining the essential role of young people.