Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, emphasized the need for integrating global climate action with the financial system during his meetings with international financial circles and multilateral organizations in the USA. Ağırbaş stated that the zero waste approach is not just an environmental policy but also a strategic necessity for economic stability and sustainable development.
Intense Contact with the Financial World
Within the scope of his program in the USA, Ağırbaş's agenda during his meetings with international financial institutions, think tanks, and high-level officials included climate finance, sustainable development, resource efficiency, and preparations for the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Expressing during the meetings that the global economic system must be aligned with climate goals, Ağırbaş pointed out that the zero waste approach is one of the important tools of macroeconomic transformation.
“Zero Waste is a Call of Conscience”
Touching upon Türkiye's vision in climate diplomacy, Ağırbaş stated that this process is supported by strong political will and international leadership.
Emphasizing that the Zero Waste approach has turned into a global movement under the leadership of Emine Erdoğan, Ağırbaş said, “If resource efficiency, circular economy, and combating waste are on the agenda of international financial circles today, the resolute defense of this vision plays a major role.”
Cooperation with the World Bank and Financial Institutions
In working meetings held with experts in the fields of circular economy and industry, concrete steps toward strengthening climate finance during the COP31 process were discussed.
Stating that the goal is to integrate climate finance with COP31 outputs by developing collaborations with the World Bank, Ağırbaş drew attention to the importance of bringing financial circles and civil society together on the same platform.
Ocean Economy and Nature-Based Solutions
Speaking at the international events he attended, Ağırbaş reminded that the ocean economy is a source of livelihood for millions of people globally.
Expressing that mangrove ecosystems play a critical role in combating climate change, Ağırbaş stated that nature-based solutions provide both economic and environmental benefits.
“Non-State Actors Steer the Transformation”
Drawing attention to the role of non-state actors within the scope of the Global Climate Action Agenda, Ağırbaş said that efforts carried out in areas such as maritime, fisheries, tourism, and coastal economies are of critical importance in reaching the 2050 carbon neutrality targets.
Climate Resilience Turns into Economic Security
Stating that climate resilience has now become an economic and social priority rather than just an environmental one, Ağırbaş expressed that climate shocks trigger migration, instability, and economic losses.
Saying, “Climate resilience is a strong engine for job creation and economic security,” Ağırbaş emphasized that investments in this area must be increased.
“We Are Moving from Negotiation to Implementation”
Stating that a new era has been entered in the global climate process, Ağırbaş expressed that the transition from the negotiation stage to the implementation stage has now taken place.
In this context, he conveyed that concrete progress has been made such as:
• Billions of dollars of financing for agriculture and land restoration
• Projects providing protection against floods and droughts
• Global initiatives aimed at reducing food waste
• The increase in clean energy investments
Priority on Resilience and Adaptation at COP31
Stating that resilience and adaptation policies will be at the center during Türkiye's COP31 Presidency process, Ağırbaş said that collaborations carried out with the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) support this approach.
“We Must Turn Promises into Real Results”
In his assessment regarding the COP31 process, Ağırbaş stated that high-level dialogues must translate into projects that have an impact on the ground.
Saying, “What we need is the coming together of projects, financing, and technical capacity,” Ağırbaş emphasized that it is necessary to go to COP31, which will be held in Antalya, with concrete outputs.
Critical 10-Year Warning
Expressing that the upcoming period is decisive in terms of climate finance, Ağırbaş said that there is a need for financing models that produce concrete results in areas such as access to affordable energy and food, infrastructure, and public health.
International Collaborations are Expanding
Ağırbaş, who met with many high-level figures within the scope of his US contacts, made assessments on access to finance, economic development, and sustainability goals.
In meetings held with banks, investors, and international financial institutions, topics such as green infrastructure investments, technology financing, and the role of the private sector came to the fore.
Inclusive Participation Goal for COP31
It was stated that the Zero Waste Foundation continues its efforts to ensure that disadvantaged groups most affected by the climate crisis are strongly represented during the COP31 process to be held in Antalya.
With the ongoing diplomacy traffic, it is aimed to make COP31 a platform where, unlike previous summits, concrete applications come to the fore. At the same time, it is aimed for the Zero Waste vision to produce measurable, traceable, and scalable outputs.
