International RETech Conference 2024 „Transforming Islands' Waste Management: Overcoming Challenges with Sustainable Solutions“
With increasing consumption, the amount of waste is growing worldwide - a circumstance that poses particularly great challenges for islands with limited space and increasing tourism. This year's international RETech conference “Transforming Islands' Waste Management: Overcoming Challenges with Sustainable Solutions” was dedicated to this topic. The two-day event, which RETech organized on behalf of the Environmental Ministry’s Export Initiative for Environmental Protection (EXI) on 20 and 21 November 2024 in Berlin, brought together over 100 stakeholders from business, science and politics to exchange ideas and identify new perspectives.
The conference was opened with welcoming remarks by Charlotte Dieter (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection), followed by a welcome from Dr. Armin Vogel (Chairman of the Board of RETech) and an inspiring video message from Eddy Frank Vásquez-Sánchez, UN & Parley for the Oceans).
Beatrice Decker (project manager and environmental engineer at RETech) led through the program and brought various international speakers to the stage on the first day of the conference to present best practice examples. Juliet Carvalhal (Project CAP, Government of Aruba), Kathryn Youngblood (Project CAP), Alberto Sala (Altereko sas), Britta Detlefsen (BOFA), Evita Hegmann (adelphi), Loecky Harvianto (Systemiq) and Hassim Pondor (TAS - Trans Africa Services) gave insights into local situations in the Caribbean, Africa, Europe and Asia.
At the end of the first conference day, there was also the opportunity to exchange ideas with various invited experts from the industry. Bram Dortmans (Eclose GmbH), Joanna Constantinidou (Department of Environment Cyprus), Aurel Luebke (Compost Systems GmbH), Christian Dinter (Rodiek / Nehlsen GmbH & Co.KG), Timo Krause (Nehlsen GmbH & Co. KG), Per-Olof Busch (adelphi), Markus Hauser (UTV AG), Klaus Hanuschke (Gopoa Infra GmbH), Thomas Dr. Probst (bvse) and Volker Dr. Ludwig (DGAW) were available to exchange ideas. This led to lively discussions between participants, experts and speakers on the very first day. These discussions continued at the subsequent networking dinner.
The second day of the conference began with a panel discussion on “Identification and Summarizing of the main Challenges Islands are facing”, moderated by Anja Schwetje (Federal Environment Agency, UBA). In the following workshop phase, guided by Beatrice Decker (RETech), Anja Schwetje (UBA) and Frank Eibisch (BC Berlin-Consult GmbH), the exchange on the three different topics “Island-related economy and tourism”, “Land-based infrastructure and general waste management” and “Maritime aspects, including ports” could be intensified with a focus on constructive work. Combining a targeted moderation, selected experts and the participants, it was possible to confront the challenges with specific solution options and discuss them critically. The summary and presentation of the individual group results showed even more how the individual sectors are interlinked and must be considered individually for each island.
The conference provided a platform for experts, policy makers and industry leaders to share insights, discuss adapted and innovative solutions and build partnerships. During the event, it became clear that the key to tackle the waste problem on islands lies in the exchange of know-how, international cooperation and a sophisticated infrastructure. Waste prevention, reusable systems and the local treatment of organic waste must be given greater focus. At the same time, financing sustainable solutions remains a challenge that can be overcome by involving the tourism sector. Creative approaches are needed - especially in view of growing tourism and consumption. At the end of the conference, Juliet Carvalhal's quote remains in our minds: “Many small people doing many small things in many small places can change the face of the world!”