Motivating Low Carbon Waste Management Through Public–Private Partnerships—An Exploratory Case Study of India

Abstract

Operations of the municipal solid waste (MSW) infrastructure is yet to focus on the low carbon impetus though there is a growing interest of governments and research communities on this topic across the globe. This study addresses and develops propositions concerning Indian infrastructure procurement. More specifically, it draws attention to the advancement of low carbon infrastructure when using public–private partnership (PPP) mode. The findings indicate that low carbon measures can lead to low carbon pathways when the process of executing is favourable to such an agenda. There is clear and outright need to make changes in the way the PPP project is procured to support the low carbon infrastructure (LCI) projects. One such approach is by adopting the criteria for selecting the private concessionaire, appropriating the financial bidding, setting low carbon operational parameters, standards and targets even at the local/project level procurement. This conceptual framework would support the integration of LCI principles and also gives a research trajectory for further research in this area.