First Lady Emine Erdoğan, Founder of the Zero Waste Movement, Chairperson of the United Nations Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste, and Honorary Chairperson of the Zero Waste Foundation, emphasized the need for an equitable system based on the principle of fair distribution in addressing global climate and environmental issues during her address at the UN General Assembly's Special Session on Zero Waste, where she attended as a special guest of the UN Secretariat.
On March 30, 2023, First Lady Emine Erdoğan addressed attendees alongside UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the high-level event on "zero waste," organized by the President of the 77th UN General Assembly and co-sponsored by 105 countries.
Starting her remarks by commemorating those who lost their lives in the earthquakes that struck 11 provinces centered in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, First Lady Emine Erdoğan expressed her gratitude, on behalf of herself and the Turkish people, to everyone from around the world who came for search and rescue operations, sent aid, and stood by Türkiye.
"Humanity Has Positioned Itself Against Nature"
Becoming the first spouse of a Turkish President to address the UN General Assembly to date, First Lady Emine Erdoğan noted that the earth is deeply interconnected in a state of balance and proportion. "However, unfortunately, we have lost this understanding over the last two centuries. Humanity, tasked with maintaining the balance of the earth, has positioned itself against nature," she said, drawing attention to how human beings consume many times more than they need and thoughtlessly abandon what they consume to the earth.
"We live in a world where, with the mindset of 'invisible garbage is harmless,' waste is sent to the least developed countries. These mountains of waste not only pollute nature but also produce a new version of colonialism. If thousands of children are still dying in different parts of the world due to climate change-induced droughts, it means we don't even have a minute to lose to say 'Stop' to this trend. In a world where millions of people do not have access to drinking water, the fact that 3.7 liters of water are used to produce a single cigarette deeply wounds every responsible global citizen."
"We Must Act Today"
Emphasizing that ending this destruction and saving the world is in humanity's hands, First Lady Emine Erdoğan said, "In this equation where we, as humanity, will either win together or lose together, we are obliged to act collectively and immediately, today."
First Lady Emine Erdoğan pointed out that with the Zero Waste Project they initiated in Türkiye, which has spread worldwide, they have shown that they can initiate massive transformations. She highlighted that through the millions of tons of waste recovered under the project, 650 million tons of raw materials were saved, and 4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions were prevented. She also shared that they are working to establish the "Zero Waste Foundation" to spread these efforts to wider audiences with civil society volunteers.
"We Need an Equitable System"
Stating her belief that the seed of zero waste will surely sprout in whatever conscience it is planted, provided we act with a shared compass of conscience and reason, First Lady Emine Erdoğan touched upon the importance of the global commitment document she opened for signature with UN Secretary-General António Guterres: "As a zero waste volunteer, I feel great pride and happiness that this movement we started in our country has reached a level that sets a model for the world and has turned into a strong policy under the umbrella of the UN."
First Lady Emine Erdoğan added, "As in other matters, we need an equitable system based on the principle of fair distribution regarding climate and environmental issues."
"We Are the Last Generation That Can Reverse This Trend"
Pointing out that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's phrase "The world is bigger than five" has a distinct significance within the scope of combating climate change, First Lady Emine Erdoğan concluded her speech with these powerful words:
"We are obliged to take precautions with an equitable burden-sharing and establish a fair system that considers the countries most affected by the consequences of climate change, even though they had no part in causing it. We cannot turn our backs on the problems of countries that cannot adequately feed their own children while mobilizing their land and water to meet the needs of highly prosperous countries. When the number of children dying from hunger is the same as those dying from obesity, we cannot speak of fair distribution. While saying 'The world population is increasing, resources are not enough for humanity,' we cannot throw away one-third of the food produced, especially when this food could end the problem of hunger. That is exactly why I cry out as well: The world is bigger than five.
From here, I want to call out to anyone thinking, 'Will I be the one to save the world?': Yes, you, yes, we will save the world. Because we are the last generation that can reverse this trend. Even the longest journeys begin with a single step. I hope this March 30 will be the first step of a path we will walk together for our future and our common home, the earth."
