Tunisia launches zero‑waste project as it ranks 85th in global environmental index

On 9 July 2026, Tunisia’s Ministry of Environment, together with the United Nations Development Programme, inaugurated the SWAP (zero‑waste transition) project. The initiative targets a recycling rate that is currently below 10 % of the 2.6 million tonnes of municipal waste generated each year, expanding collection systems for plastics, tyres, used motor oil, batteries and other streams. Waste treatment is largely privatized, financed 80 % by the state and 20 % by municipalities, with an estimated investment need of US $1.5 billion through 2035. The program is part of Tunisia’s broader ecological strategy, aiming to cut the economy’s carbon intensity by 62 % relative to 2010 and to contribute roughly 4 % of national greenhouse‑gas reductions between 2026 and 2035.

In the 2026 Environmental Performance Index, Tunisia placed 85th out of 177 countries with a score of 41.05, ranking seventh among its regional peers. The rating places Tunisia ahead of Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco but behind Algeria, reflecting mixed progress and ongoing challenges across water, waste, air quality and climate policy domains.