Presentation of the Global Mountain Waste Survey 2021

Join us on Zoom for last instalment of the year of our webinar series

Mountain Talks

Presentation of the Global
Mountain Waste Survey 2021

When:
23 of January
4PM (Oslo Time)

Laurent and Björn will present results from the Global Mountain Waste Survey 2021, with a specific focus on the responses from the IFMGA guiding community. We will discuss recent additions on waste management to the IFMGA Expedition Manual and dive into ideas on future collaboration between the guiding community, scientists and other stakeholders.

About the speakers:

Björn Alfthan is a Principal Expert at GRID-Arendal, a Norwegian foundation and collaborating centre of UN Environment Programme. He specializes in translating complex scientific work into accessible, environmental assessments that are used by government policy makers and others. He has worked extensively with ICIMOD and other mountain centres on climate adaptation, waste and biodiversity issues in the Caucasus, Himalayas, East Africa and Balkans. He was editor of the 2016 UN Environment report, “Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions” and co-led a global survey on waste in the mountains in collaboration with UIAA, IFMGA, the Mountain Research Institute, Kilian Jornet Foundation and UN agencies.
 
Laurent Fouinat is an environmental Expert in GRID-Arendal, a Norwegian foundation and collaborating centre of UN Environment Programme. He has a background in geology and has worked on climate change and social issues in the mountains of the Alps, Himalaya and Caucasus. Laurent co-led the global waste survey, in which the guiding community has largely contributed.

Waste for Warmth with Holly Mikesell

Waste for Warmth is a humanitarian innovation project that addresses the persistent waste plastic challenge. Centered around use of the polyfloss machine which transforms shredded waste plastic into fine plastic fibers called “polyfloss.” In Nepal collaboration has started with the Annapurna Rural Municipality to address the plastic waste challenge.

About the speaker 

Holly Mikesell is a Project Manager at Engineers Without Borders Norway. She manages and oversees the Waste for Warmth project, a consortium project, working alongside colleagues from Syria, France, and Nepal.  Holly currently lives in Oslo, Norway, but brings a passion for mountain communities from when she worked for Rainier Mountaineering Inc. in the U.S. as a college student.