DrJeremy Kohlitz

The Emission Measurement to Improve Sanitation in Indonesia (EMISI) project helped expand the evidence base on sanitation emissions both in Indonesia and globally. Before this work, there was very little reliable data for sanitation systems in low and middle income countries, so national estimates were based on assumptions from limited evidence from other high-income countries countries that did not truly capture the design and operational differences of sanitation systems in these contexts. By directly measuring GHG emissions in real onsite, communal and centralised sanitation systems and building a new national model, the EMISI project showed that emissions vary widely depending on how waste is managed and moved through different systems. It also revealed that poorly managed waste pathways can be a major hidden source of emissions. The need for EMISI was identified by Indonesia's Ministry of Public Works and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who recognised GHG emissions from sanitation systems were likely significant, but that data was lacking. The Government of Indonesia now have access to and ownership of these findings related to sanitation emissions that can be used by Indonesian government agencies to improve sanitation planning and identify ways to reduce emissions while also improving services. At the global level, this is the first dataset of its kind for Indonesia and makes a major contribution to a growing evidence base that other LMICs can draw on when estimating national sanitation emissions. This is particularly important where locally derived data are scarce or costly to generate, meaning countries can now make more accurate, evidence-based estimates and avoid relying solely on uncertain default assumptions. Importantly, the strong engagement of the Government of Indonesia throughout the research process ensured national ownership of the results, increasing their credibility, relevance, and likelihood of uptake in national reporting and planning. EMISI has significantly strengthened the global evidence base on sanitation emissions by modelling current and future pathways for expanding safely managed sanitation while actively accounting for associated greenhouse gas emissions. It developed the first comprehensive national model of current and future sanitation emission scenarios for Indonesia, enabling governments to anticipate emission generation based on sanitation planning, allowing governments to design low-carbon sanitation strategies, and plan investments that deliver low-emission public health outcomes. Findings and recommendations report: https://doi.org/10.71741/4pyxmbnjaq.31895149 Technical note: https://doi.org/10.71741/4pyxmbnjaq.31697710 Policy brief: https://doi.org/10.71741/4pyxmbnjaq.31831159