Urban Waste for Climate Infrastructure System
The Eboko Foundation is an international organisation committed to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through concrete actions in support of the ecological transition.
Overview of the project
The Eboko Foundation is leading an urban ecology and climate change adaptation initiative that transforms urban waste into useful infrastructure for the city. The project addresses two major challenges: the accumulation of waste in urban areas and the intensification of heat events, which particularly affect the most vulnerable populations.
The initiative proposes a simple and replicable circular model based on the recovery of materials from urban waste, particularly wood, pallets and certain plastics, in order to transform them into lightweight climate adaptation infrastructure. These elements become urban facilities such as shaded areas, rest furniture, improved public spaces and thermal comfort devices.
Particular attention is paid to priority neighbourhoods targeted by urban policy (QPV), where environmental and social challenges are often cumulative. The project develops local solutions for manufacturing and reuse, mobilising local skills such as carpentry and production workshops, in order to create both useful infrastructure and local economic opportunities.
The objective is to directly improve residents’ living environment, reduce inequalities in access to suitable public spaces and strengthen urban resilience to heatwaves.
The project is part of a broader ecological and social transition dynamic, in France and Europe, with a focus on replicability in different urban contexts. It demonstrates that it is possible to transform waste into resources and make the city a circular system serving climate adaptation and social justice.
Transforming urban waste into climate adaptation infrastructure to improve the comfort and resilience of cities.
Ongoing research
01/03/2026
At this pilot stage, the project has enabled the recovery and reuse of several batches of pallets initially destined for the waste disposal centre. Several residents of priority neighbourhoods targeted by urban policy (QPV) have been involved in the initial collection and sorting activities. The first units of reused materials have been assembled to serve as a basis for future development structures. The initiative remains in its start-up phase, and quantitative indicators are currently being consolidated, with a gradual scale-up planned over the coming months.
The initial actions have helped establish a local dynamic for the reuse of materials from urban waste, particularly the recovery of pallets initially destined for the waste disposal centre. This approach has engaged residents of priority neighbourhoods targeted by urban policy (QPV) in activities involving the collection and transformation of materials. It has helped raise participants’ awareness of the challenges of the circular economy and urban climate adaptation, creating an initial dynamic of mobilisation around the reuse and valorisation of waste as resources.
The project is currently financed through its own resources and in-kind contributions, particularly the recovery of reused materials. It also benefits from the support of the City and local non-profit partners involved in neighbourhood initiatives, which support the implementation of the initial pilot actions.
organisation
The Eboko Foundation is an international organisation committed to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through concrete actions in support of the ecological transition, social justice and cooperation between territories. It works primarily in the fields of urban ecology, climate change adaptation and social inclusion, developing solutions rooted in local realities, particularly in disadvantaged neighbourhoods and cities undergoing transition, in Europe and Africa.
Globe 21, EBOKO YOUTH 4 SDGS