The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), together with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the European Union (EU), is supporting an upgrade of solid waste services in Jordan through a financing package for the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM). The EBRD will provide a sub-sovereign loan of up to US$ 6 million to finance critical improvements at the Al Ghabawi Landfill, including the capping of Cell 5, its connection to an existing landfill gas utilisation system for power generation, and the installation of a leachate management system.
The project is expected to be co-financed by a US$ 2 million concessional loan from the GCF under the Green Cities Facility, a US$ 2 million investment grant from the EBRD, and an additional US$ 2.5 million from the EBRD and/or international donors. Together, these investments will enable the capture and use of methane emissions, reduce environmental risks, and significantly improve landfill operations.
Cell 5 at Al Ghabawi was constructed in 2018 and reached full capacity in 2023 after receiving around 6.7 million tonnes of solid waste. The planned upgrades will allow methane to be captured and used for renewable power generation, while the leachate management system will ensure safer handling of liquid waste. As a result, the project is expected to cut carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 150,000 tonnes per year, contributing to improved climate resilience and environmental safety in Amman.
In addition to physical investments, the financing will be supported by EBRD- and GCF-funded technical cooperation to assist with project implementation and supervision. This support will also enable an update of Amman’s Green City Action Plan, aligning it with evolving sustainability priorities such as digitalisation, gender equality and human capital development.
The loan is backed by a concessional guarantee funded by the European Union through the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus, which aims to mobilise additional public and private financing for sustainable development. The project falls under the EBRD’s Green Cities Framework and builds on a long-standing partnership with GAM, which has already delivered major initiatives including the Amman Electric Bus project and emergency solid waste response measures.
The EBRD has worked with the Greater Amman Municipality since 2015, financing 11 projects with around €112 million in EBRD funding, supported by €67 million in grants and concessional resources. More broadly, since beginning operations in Jordan in 2012, the EBRD has invested over €2.2 billion across 82 projects, supporting sustainable infrastructure, environmental improvements and economic resilience across the country.
