2.1. Raising awareness of the project

Separate launching programmes for the project were held in Makati City and Lautoka City in October 2019, with 50 participants in Makati and approximately 30 attendees in Lautoka (see Figure 1). Both events were held at the respective city halls, and the welcome address was given by the representative of the Mayor of Makati and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lautoka. The project team provided an overview of the project and introduced the partner organizations, while officials from the participating cities gave presentations on the state of municipal solid waste management in their areas, as well as their past experiences in managing disaster waste. The events concluded with a discussion among the attendees on ways to achieve the project objectives.

2.2. Training needs assessment

To identify gaps in current knowledge, skills and competency related to post-typhoon disaster waste management of city employees and other stakeholders, a detailed training needs assessment (TNA) was conducted in each participating city (Figure 2). In Lautoka, the TNA was carried out in September 2019 before the project launch, while the TNA in Makati was performed a few days after the launching. Data was gathered through questionnaire surveys, interviews and multistakeholder focus group discussions. The TNA instruments were based on materials produced by UNEP-IETC or its partner organisations, such as the Disaster Waste Management Guideline for Asia and the Pacific (MOE Japan & JSMCWM, 2018), the 2018 Caribbean Disaster Waste Management Training Programme (supported by UNEP-IETC), and several case studies from recent typhoon-related major disasters, including Typhoon Haiyan.

2.3. Production of training modules and delivery of training

The training needs assessment identified gaps in knowledge and skills related to post-typhoon disaster waste management among city employees and stakeholders. The project team developed training modules to address these gaps based on the findings. The modules covered topics such as (a) forecasting the types and amounts of disaster wastes, (b) disaster waste recycling and disposal options, and (c) preparing a temporary storage site (TSS). To provide expertise on TSS preparation, the project team sought the help of an external expert from JSMCWM. The main objective of the training was to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to create a typhoon-specific disaster waste management contingency plan. In total, six training activities were conducted under the project. The trainees were chosen by the two cities.

• Training of Trainers on DWM in Ateneo de Manila University from 15–16 January 2020 (20 participants) (Figure 3)
• Face-to-Face Training for Makati City stakeholders on 17 January 2020 (50 participants)
• Online Training for new Makati City staff on 24 March 2021 (45 participants)
• Mentoring Seminar for Makati City staff on 18 June 2021 (15 participants)
• DWM Contingency Planning Training Workshop and Stakeholder Consultation in Lautoka on 23 March 2022 (50 participants)
• Mentoring Seminar for Makati City staff on 6 May 2022 (15 participants)

Before attending the training sessions, participants were asked to complete the online course “Disaster Waste Management: Best Practices and Tools” offered by the Environmental Emergencies Centre. By completing this course, participants were introduced to disaster waste management basics and better equipped to participate in the more comprehensive training modules. The online course, which takes approximately three hours to complete, was successfully finished by more than 30 participants.

2.4. Preparation of the DWM contingency plan

The major outputs of this project are the disaster waste management contingency plans of the two participating cities. Following the training sessions, the project team provided a suggested outline to the cities, including items such as the objectives of the contingency plan, relevant national laws and policies, and city ordinances. Other plans related to the disaster waste management contingency plan, such as the municipal solid waste management plan and the disaster risk management plan, were also included in the outline. Additionally, the suggested outline covered the forecast of the expected quantity of disaster wastes per type of material, disaster waste collection and removal strategies, identification of temporary storage sites, waste recycling and reuse options, final disposal sites, organisational chart, including assignment of roles and responsibilities, operations flowchart, and information to include in the appendices. The participating cities organised several meetings and workshops among their stakeholders and consulted with the project team for guidance and mentoring when needed.

2.5. Promoting international cooperation

The project team was composed of members from three sub-regions in the Asia-Pacific: East Asia (China and Japan), Southeast Asia (Philippines), and Oceania (Fiji). The team consisted of researchers from four reputable universities, namely Sichuan University, Kyoto University, Tongji University, and Ateneo de Manila University, who contributed their technical expertise in the capacity development project. Sichuan University runs the Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR), with disaster waste management as one of its major areas of interest. The university also boasts a competitive Public Health programme, which provided valuable insights into the management of medical and healthcare waste. Tongji University and UNEP-IETC co-manage the UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD), a think tank that conducts research on various topics, including climate change, disasters and conflicts, environmental governance, harmful substances, resource efficiency, environmental assessments, and technology transfer facilitation to developing countries. UNEP-IETC serves as the global centre of excellence for environmentally sound technologies, with a specific focus on waste management. Ateneo de Manila University’s Department of Environmental Science aims to prepare the next generation of environmental scientists to apply classroom concepts to real-world issues, making it a valuable partner in the capacity building project. The university’s Master in Disaster Risk and Resilience (MDRR) programme was designed to promote interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to risk management and resilience building, aligning with the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary nature of this project. The four universities worked together to support the science-based decision-making of government and non-government stakeholders in the two participating cities.

2.6. Sharing lessons with a wider audience

Throughout the project, the activities were documented and shared on the dedicated project website (https://disaster-waste.org/). Knowledge products such as reports, policy briefs, scientific papers, photographs, and videos were made available on the website for researchers, policymakers, civil society organisations, and the general public to for easy accessibility. When available, the final version of the training materials will also be uploaded to the website, thus enabling widespread dissemination and adoption by the international community. The project team disseminated information about the capacity development project through presentations in academic conferences, webinars (as shown in Figure 4), workshops, training activities and non-academic conferences.

3.1. Outputs, outcomes and impacts

The disaster waste management contingency plans of the two cities are the key outputs of this capacity development project. From 2020 to 2021, the project team organised and participated in various international and local conferences, webinars and training events to disseminate information about the project. As a result, the project helped generate significant interest in disaster waste management within the disaster risk reduction, environmental management, solid waste management and climate change stakeholder communities not only in Fiji and the Philippines, but also in other parts of the world.

Table 1 presents the outputs, outcomes and impacts of the project. This list is not exhaustive, as some of the anticipated outputs, including journal articles, are still in progress and undergoing peer review at the time of writing.

3.2. Challenges during project implementation

In January 2020, the project team planned to conduct the DWM training of trainers at Ateneo de Manila University and the face-to-face DWM training in Makati. However, the sudden eruption of Taal Volcano led to delayed or cancelled flights, preventing our team member from Lautoka City from attending the training and meeting with their counterparts in Makati. Moreover, flights for our team members from Kyoto University from Manila back to Japan were also delayed. As a result of the volcanic eruption, several trainees from Makati were deployed to the disaster-affected areas to provide assistance and were unable to attend the training. These unforeseen events led to a lower number of participants than initially anticipated.

Up until January 2020, the project team was able to stay on schedule with the implementation of project activities. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the project timeline. In response to the pandemic, the project team made the decision to suspend the remaining project activities, as the local partners in Lautoka and Makati were among the frontline responders to the pandemic as the team member in Lautoka is a public health official, while the team member in Makati works in the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. The project team felt it was important not to divert the attention of these local partners from their critical duties during the pandemic.

Until the end of August 2022, we were unable to return to Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, due to travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Two other team members from Sichuan University were also stranded in Tokyo and Montreal for some time.

One of the most significant activities in our project was the participatory preparation of a typhoon-specific disaster waste management contingency plan by our two participating cities. However, the DWM contingency planning was delayed as not all stakeholders in Lautoka and Makati had reliable Internet connections, and face-to-face modalities were still the most appropriate for this kind of participatory exercise. The project team initially allocated at least four months for this activity, but it was put on hold in Makati following lockdown in Metro Manila for most of 2020 and 2021. The main stakeholders were supposed to receive a face-to-face training on contingency plan preparation before the planning process could begin. On 6 May 2022, the project team had its second mentoring session with the Makati stakeholders to aid them with their contingency planing. In Lautoka, the contingency planning process started after the stakeholders conducted a training workshop on 23 March 2022.

While preparing the DWM contingency plan in Makati City, it became apparent that much of the information needed was not readily available. The core group in Makati eventually agreed that their initial DWM contingency plan would need to be updated once the necessary information became available. This is consistent with the principle that contingency plans are living documents that must be regularly revised or updated.

3.3. Missed opportunities

In 2020 and 2021, the Philippines was hit by a series of strong typhoons, resulting in the generation of a large volume of disaster waste. Unfortunately, due to safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, project team members were unable to visit the disaster-affected areas to conduct documentation and data-gathering, which would have been very useful for the capacity building project. For example, in December 2021, Typhoon Rai (locally known as Typhoon Odette) ravaged a vast area in central and southern Philippines. The typhoon caused widespread destruction, and it would have been another opportunity to document the disaster waste generated by a typhoon and observe how local and national government officials manage disaster debris if there had not been a pandemic.

3.4. Ways forward: Post-project activities

Thanks to this project, our team members were able to broaden their networks and establish partnerships with organisations that will continue to promote disaster waste management after the end of the APN project. The following are some of the activities:

• Expansion of the membership of the newly established Philippine Association for Disaster Waste Management (PADWM) and preparation of documents needed for the formal registration of the non-government organisation under the Securities and Exchange Commission.
• In October 2022, a proposed project titled “Science Advice on Disaster Waste Management: Enabling Local Governments to Practice and Promote Building Back Better, Circular Economy, and Climate Change Mitigation” submitted by the project leader was chosen by the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) Asia chapter as one of the winners of its Grassroots Science Advice Promotion Awards 2022. Part of the award is a seed grant as well as guidance and mentorship from a distinguished member of the INGSA-Asia Steering Committee to organise science advice workshops. The new project will build on the accomplishments made under the APN project.
• The project team reprised the session “Disaster Waste Management Capacity Development in the Global South”, organised for the SRI Congress 2022 at the 2022 Conference of the Solid Waste Management Association of the Philippines (SWAPPCon 2022) on 17 November 2022.
• The project leader has been involved as a resource person on “Forecasting Types and Amount of Disaster Wastes” in the quarterly Disaster Waste Management Training organized by the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP). Three DAP staff were among those who participated at the DWM training of trainers organised by the project team in January 2020.
• The project team, together with new partnerships developed during the implementation of the project, created a Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitment to conduct capacity development training activities and seminars in the coming two years.