Turkish first lady calls for permanent UN Zero Waste mechanism

ISTANBUL

Turkish first lady Emine Erdoğan has called for the establishment of a permanent United Nations Zero Waste mechanism, as she chaired a high-level meeting of the green initiative in Istanbul.

Launched on Sept. 27, 2017, under the auspices of Erdoğan, the project aims to reduce Türkiye’s waste burden and has since become a shared global value, fostering cleaner, sustainable practices across the country and the world.

“The spirit we have built within our Advisory Board holds a very special place for me. I am proud to host the world’s largest zero waste initiative,” Erdoğan said in her opening remarks of the fourth meeting of the U.N. Zero Waste High-Level Advisory Board during the Global Zero Waste Forum in Istanbul.

The forum, running through Oct. 19, is organized by the Zero Waste Foundation in partnership with Türkiye’s Environment and Agriculture ministries, U.N.-Habitat and the U.N. Environment Program (UNEP).

“The U.N. General Assembly’s 2022 zero waste resolution is now UN policy and a key element of sustainable development goals. Our advisory board has been guiding the global direction of zero waste policies since 2023,” she noted.

The Turkish first lady stressed the urgency of accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noting, “Only five years remain to achieve the 2030 goals, and unfortunately, only 18 percent of targets have been reached. Raising awareness is crucial to accelerate progress.”

Erdoğan said the forum and advisory board have accomplished numerous successes over the past two years.

She called on the U.N. to establish a permanent zero waste mechanism, coordinated by U.N.-Habitat and UNEP, with Türkiye’s Zero Waste Foundation supporting the initiative.

“The Zero Waste Forum should serve as the universal face and knowledge center of this platform,” she said.

The forum brings together U.N. officials, international experts and policymakers to discuss global zero waste policies and sustainable development strategies.