As we approach 2025, electronic waste (e-waste) remains one of the most pressing environmental issues. While 2024 saw significant steps meant to address this concern, it is clear that truly achieving sustainability in business domains (including electronics) and daily life is a long journey that has to be undertaken with determination and responsibility.

COP28 and Renewable Energy Commitments

COP28 was held from November 30 to December 12, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. However, the outcomes of the event directly impacted e-waste management in 2024. While international agreements emphasised the importance of sustainable and circular economies and reiterated the necessity of transitioning away from fossil fuels, the pledge to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 was vital for e-waste sectors, considering the renewable energy industry itself is confronted by challenges associated with recycling and repurposing of material employed in solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries. Further, several agreements, decisions and structures (such as Global Stocktake, increased focus on 1.5°C, funding mechanisms, Loss and Damage Fund, and climate finance commitments) presented at COP28 are likely to drive international climate action, policies and fund flows in 2024 and beyond.   

Enhanced Sustainability Reporting

The implementation of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) in the European Union was a major sustainability change in 2024. The regulation substantially expanded the scope of the previous Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), mandating that large companies (including SMEs fulfilling certain criteria) to report comprehensive, audited data on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts. It would directly affect the electronics industry by warranting companies to divulge their e-waste management practices. This is a step towards increased transparency and accountability, and likely to fix more responsibility on companies for their products’ end-of-life, driving them to design electronics with longer life spans and better recyclability. 

Smart India Hackathon

The Smart India Hackathon in 2024 was an event particularly relevant to India, and featured innovative student-driven solutions to problems related to sustainability, including e-waste. It is a collaborative event where students from different educational institutions, industry experts and government bodies jointly design viable solutions for real-world problems. The event represented India’s commitment to address, through technology and innovation, the growing environmental impact of the large amounts of e-waste generated within the country. Students and educational institutions proposed AI-based solutions for e-waste sorting and recycling, showcasing novel and innovative approaches to efficient waste management. Events like Smart India Hackathon encourage innovation, raise awareness about pressing issues like increasing e-waste in the country and internationally, develop skills such as problem-solving, teamwork and technical expertise, and support national policy goals. 

National Energy Conservation Day

National Energy Conservation Day, celebrated on December 14, 2024 in India, highlighted the country’s commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability. Several important initiatives and deliberations at the event underscored the importance of responsible energy use in the lifecycle of electronic products, and were linked to e-waste management. The event’s emphasis on energy-efficient practices in everyday life and also in sectors manufacturing electronic goods is a crucial element in effective e-waste management. Further, National Energy Conservation Day 2024 included awareness campaigns that focused on the ecological impacts of e-waste, educating consumers about the necessity of responsible disposal and recycling of electronic gadgets. Discussions addressed the need for policies promoting sustainable e-waste management practices, the necessity of integrating renewable energy sources into e-waste recycling, and the need for sustainable product designs.