EBRD, EU And GCF Mobilise Over US$10M For Landfill Upgrades, Cutting 150,000 Tonnes Of CO₂ And Improving Solid Waste Services In Jordan

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a sub-sovereign loan of up to US$ 6 million (€5.1 million) for Jordan’s Greater Amman Municipality (GAM). The financing will support major environmental upgrades at the Al Ghabawi Landfill, specifically the capping of Cell 5, its connection to the existing landfill gas (LFG) utilisation system, and the installation of a leachate management system. This funding will be complemented by a US$ 2 million concessional loan from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) under the Green Cities Facility, along with a US$ 2 million investment grant from the EBRD. An additional US$ 2.5 million is expected from the EBRD and/or other international donors.

Together, these contributions will help GAM improve waste management efficiency and reduce emissions from one of Amman’s major waste disposal sites. The project will focus on capping Cell 5, allowing the safe capture of methane emissions. It will also connect the cell to an existing LFG system that generates renewable power and introduce a leachate management system to prevent groundwater contamination. These improvements are projected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by about 150,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually, significantly enhancing environmental safety.

Cell 5 was built in 2018 and was filled to capacity by 2023 after receiving approximately 6.7 million tonnes of solid waste. With the new funding, GAM will be able to reduce methane leakage, produce energy from landfill gas, and improve its long-term waste and leachate management practices—contributing to a cleaner, safer urban environment for Amman’s residents. The investment will also be supported by a technical cooperation package funded by the EBRD and GCF. This will provide assistance with project implementation, supervision, and the update of Amman’s Green City Action Plan (GCAP). The revised GCAP will integrate new sustainability priorities such as digitalisation, gender equality, and human capital development.

The loan comes with a concessional guarantee funded by the European Union through its EFSD+ Municipal Infrastructure and Industrial Resilience Guarantee Programme. EFSD+, established in 2021, helps partner countries advance sustainable development by mobilising public and private investments. It has a global guarantee capacity of €39.8 billion for 2021–27, with €22.5 billion designated for EU neighbourhood and enlargement regions. This financing falls under the Green Cities Framework and strengthens the EBRD’s longstanding partnership with GAM.

Previous collaborations under the programme include transformative initiatives such as the Amman Electric Bus project and solid waste crisis response measures. The EBRD has been engaged with GAM since 2015, supporting 11 projects so far with approximately €112 million in financing and an additional €67 million in grants and concessional funds. Since beginning operations in Jordan in 2012, the Bank has invested more than €2.2 billion across 82 projects, contributing to infrastructure development, sustainability, and economic growth nationwide.