Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour Seminar Series. "Burning Waste, Fuelling Inequality: The Political Economy of Privatised Waste to Energy, Resistance, and Public Pathways"
Published: 12 February 2025
20 February 2025. Dr Vera Weghmann, University of Greenwich
Dr Vera Weghmann, University of Greenwich
"Burning Waste, Fuelling Inequality: The Political Economy of Privatised Waste to Energy, Resistance, and Public Pathways"
Thursday, 20 February. 14:00 - 16:00
Room 141 Adam Smith Business School
Abstract
The Waste to Energy (WtE) industry is expanding rapidly amidst a global energy crisis and a projected 70% increase in waste by 2050. However, WtE's privatisation creates “lock-ins” with private providers through decades-long contracts, perpetuating waste dependency. Large-scale incinerators require vast quantities of waste, contradicting waste reduction principles and raising concerns highlighted by UNEP.
This paper explores the political economy driving privatised WtE, resistance movements, and pathways toward public ownership and waste prevention. Rejecting methodological nationalism, it employs a transnational lens to examine WtE’s global dynamics (Bieler 2021). The analysis unfolds in four sections: (1) the global political economy and the influence of financial institutions and lobby groups on WtE privatisation; (2) resistance movements like the UK’s UKWIN, Delhi’s opposition to toxic emissions, and the US “no burn” campaign; (3) public ownership models in Denmark and Slovenia, which demonstrate how public control enables waste minimisation and legal resilience; and (4) WtE’s contradictions with sustainability and waste prevention.
Grounded in extensive research for global trade unions, this study critically interrogates WtE’s sustainability claims and advocates for public pathways that prioritise waste reduction and environmental justice.
Bio
Dr. Vera Weghmann is the Director of the Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), where she has been a leading researcher since 2017. Her work focuses on essential public services, including waste management, energy, transport, water, social care, and health care, combining academic rigor with real-world impact.
Dr. Weghmann's research has significantly influenced policy at the European level, contributing to initiatives at the European Parliament and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). Her expertise in waste management and the circular economy led her to co-design and deliver stakeholder workshops for EU-OSHA, shaping safer and more sustainable practices. Her work on financing public transport has directly informed the People’s Public Transport Policy of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF). Additionally, her research on remunicipalisation and public ownership has supported global efforts to reclaim public services, culminating in an e-learning training course for Public Services International (PSI).
Passionate about participatory research methodologies, Dr. Weghmann co-developed Focus-Arts-Groups (FAGS) with artist Ella Jones. This innovative approach integrates art-making with Participatory Action Research (PAR) to amplify the voices of precarious workers while challenging research extractivism. This work reflects her commitment to fostering equitable, impactful, and creative research practices.
For further information, please contact business-school-research@glasgow.ac.uk
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First published: 12 February 2025