As part of the Planetary Embassy in Belém during the UN climate summit COP30, Swissnex presents “From Waste to Opportunity” in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), Spross, the World Resources Forum, and the Leading House Latin America at the University of St.Gallen.
Poor waste management drives greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, pollutes rivers and soils, and threatens biodiversity and human health. However, when effectively implemented, waste management can serve as a tool for climate justice, economy growth, and ecosystem protection.
Switzerland has developed advanced systems that integrate material handling, circular economy principles, and science-driven policy into tangible climate benefits, while effectively serving the needs of its population. Brazil, with its vast resources and rapid urban growth, has the potential to develop and scale sustainable waste solutions that could simultaneously create jobs and innovate in waste-related logistics, while protecting the Amazon, and accelerating decarbonization strategies.
This panel aims to showcase practical policy and technology achievements, highlight
transferable models, and explore pathways for future collaborations, while providing a space for open discussion and exchange of ideas among participants.
From Waste to Opportunity is a continuation of nexBio Amazonia, a pioneering bioeconomy program held annually in the Amazon region, powered by Swissnex in Brazil, the Leading House Latin America (University of St. Gallen), and the Brazilian National Council of State Funding Agencies (CONFAP).
Bio
Carlos Enrique Gomez Camacho is a Chemical and Sustainable Processes Engineer (PhD Chemical Engineering) and a scientist at the Technology and Society Laboratory (TSL) of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa). He has extensive experience in process and bioprocess engineering for eco-design and is skilled in product development, feedstock analysis, process optimization, and scale-up across laboratory, pilot, and industrial scales. At Empa, he contributes to the bioeconomy and the transition toward a more sustainable society through science-based innovation, decision-making, systems analysis, and environmental footprint analysis using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of products and services.
Bio
Martin Gasser is the site manager of the Spross Recycling Plant in Zurich, where he oversees 40 employees who process around 300,000 tons of construction waste annually. Born and raised in Switzerland, he studied Environmental Engineering and Environmental Sciences at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich). Before taking on his current role, Martin worked with the Critical Materials and Resource Efficiency (CARE) group at Empa in St. Gallen, where he advised companies and public authorities on resource efficiency and recycling. His work in waste management also took him to Nigeria and Egypt, where he assessed waste-to-energy technologies and electronic waste systems.
Bio
Adrien Specker is a Project Manager at the World Resources Forum Association, where he promotes circular economy initiatives through international collaboration. He holds an MSc in Environmental Sciences from ETH Zurich and combines a strong technical background with hands-on experience in projects such as the Sustainable Recycling Industries (SRI) program and the StEP initiative. Passionate about resource efficiency and sustainable development, Adrien works to translate research and policy into practical, scalable solutions for a more circular world.
Bio
Pedro Capra is the Academic Relations Program Lead at Swissnex in Brazil, where he helps connect universities, think tanks, research institutions, professors, and researchers to establish and strengthen science and technology partnerships. He holds a PhD in Political Science from UNICAMP and was a Visiting Researcher at both the University of Zurich and the University of Fribourg. Since then, Pedro has been working closely with Latin Americanists from Switzerland and abroad, fostering academic collaboration and exchange.
From November 9 to 21, 2025, the Planetary Embassy comes to life in Belém, Brazil, on the margins of the UN climate summit COP30. Part of a series of pop-up experiences across the global Swissnex network, this edition is hosted in the zoobotanical gardens of the Goeldi Museum, a setting that blends the Amazon's biodiversity, science, ancestral wisdom, and Swiss legacy.
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The Planetary Embassy in presented by Swissnex in Brazil with the support of Presence Switzerland, as part of the Road to Belém program led by the Embassy of Switzerland in Brazil.
