On November 25 and 27, 2025, the online training course “From Wastewater to Resources: Circular Solutions for a Climate-Resilient Future” was successfully held. The course was organized within the framework of the agreement between the UNESCO Chair on Sustainability (UPC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), with the collaboration of Aarhus University (Denmark), the LIFE GREEN ADAPT Project, and the SureNexus Project.
Designed for Latin America and delivered entirely in Spanish, the course adopted a 100% action-oriented approach. Its main objective was to strengthen capacities for resource recovery (water, energy, nutrients, and materials) and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions—particularly methane, N₂O, and CO₂—across the wastewater and broader waste management cycle. The training directly contributed to climate resilience, local economic development, and progress toward the achievement of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The programme was structured over two training sessions featuring expert-led micro-classes that addressed key challenges, barriers, and enabling conditions for the development of bankable circular economy projects. Participants were introduced to practical tools and methodologies, including emission estimation and MRV frameworks, risk assessment, bioeconomy approaches, and nature-based solutions applied to agro-industrial value chains.
The course brought together a panel of 30 internationally recognized specialists from 9 countries, representing academia, the public and private sectors, and international organizations such as UNEP, UNESCO, and IWRA. Through real-world case studies, metrics, and applied tools, the experts provided comparative insights between Latin American and European contexts, ensuring a comprehensive and practice-oriented learning experience.
A total of 177 participants from 16 nationalities attended the training, with strong female representation (59%). Overall, 54 institutions were represented, including universities and research centers, local governments, public utilities, private-sector entities, consultants, and civil society organizations. This diverse and multidisciplinary participation fostered knowledge exchange and collaboration, supporting participants in advancing from diagnostic assessments toward the design of concrete, measurable, and investment-ready projects in circular economy and climate action.
