In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Zero Waste Foundation President and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion Samed Ağırbaş pointed out that zero waste has moved beyond being an issue discussed solely within the scope of waste management and has become one of the most important elements of climate policies. Ağırbaş stated that the experience Türkiye has put forward within the scope of the Zero Waste Movement can be transferred to global climate action during the COP31 process, saying, "COP31 will be a turning point for zero waste."
The 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) will be held in Antalya from November 9-20, 2026. At the conference hosted by Türkiye, the connection of topics such as resource efficiency, the circular economy, waste reduction, and zero waste to the global climate agenda will be discussed alongside climate action.
The zero waste approach, which started in Türkiye under the vision and auspices of 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—now extends to a transformation area covering various fields and resonating on an international scale.
"Zero Waste is at the Forefront of the Main Items on the Climate Agenda"
In his evaluation as part of Anadolu Agency's "Priority Areas at COP31" dossier, Zero Waste Foundation President and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion Samed Ağırbaş expressed that zero waste is no longer an approach evaluated solely under the heading of waste management.
Stating that the Zero Waste Movement, initiated by Türkiye in 2017 under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, has created an important foundation for transformation aimed at using resources more efficiently, reducing waste generation, and expanding recycling, Ağırbaş said that this experience will be shared globally during the COP31 process.
"Today in the world, zero waste has become a climate policy rather than just waste reduction, and it has begun to be discussed as a climate policy. In past COP summits, the issue of waste was not as visible as other topics on the climate agenda, but at COP31, zero waste is now at the forefront of the main items on the climate agenda. In this context, COP31 will be a turning point for zero waste."
Drawing attention to the connection between waste and climate change, Ağırbaş added that studies will be carried out under the headings of methane reduction and the circular economy within the scope of COP31.
"One of the Easiest Solutions is Not to Produce Waste"
Stating that plastic pollution will also be one of the important topics on the COP31 agenda, Ağırbaş pointed out the importance of bringing different sectors and stakeholders together on a common ground in the fight against plastic pollution.
Ağırbaş said, "We need to act together with plastic producers, sector representatives, banks, local communities, and other stakeholders. We are against bans. Basically, what we want is to put things forward with social awareness and social consensus." Stating that Türkiye is carrying out studies on reducing plastic use and developing alternative products that are more easily biodegradable in nature, Ağırbaş expressed that they have formed working groups in this area.
Emphasizing that the zero waste approach focuses not only on managing the generated waste but on preventing waste before it occurs, Ağırbaş said: "One of the easiest solutions we will find for the waste crisis is not to produce waste. Yes, we will recycle waste, we have to recycle it, we are recycling it. These are important efforts, but not producing waste should be the greatest preference."
Türkiye's Experience is Carried to COP31
Stating that a significant transformation has taken place in Türkiye in recent years within the scope of zero waste, Ağırbaş said this experience also contributes to the implementation-oriented approach of COP31.
Reminding that the Zero Waste Movement was launched in 2017 under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, Ağırbaş stated that a significant increase has been achieved in recycling rates, saying, "An increase in recycling rates was achieved. In the context of zero waste, Türkiye launched a serious transformation movement under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan as of 2017. The recycling rate, which was around 10 percent, has reached 30 percent."
Stating that the knowledge Türkiye has acquired in the field of zero waste is beginning to be shared not only within the country's borders but also through international collaborations, Ağırbaş conveyed that they are conducting collaborations with Ethiopia prior to COP32, which will be held in its capital Addis Ababa, and are providing training to the relevant personnel.
Continuity Extending from COP31 to COP32 and the Digital Coordination Center
Emphasizing that COP31 should not be seen as a process limited to the conference to be held in November, Ağırbaş stated that the COP32 process has already been put on the agenda to ensure the implementation and continuity of the decisions to be taken.
"In the context of COP31, we have established a Digital Coordination Center. More than 1,000 institutional applications have been received. People are telling us their problems. Our teams hold one-on-one meetings, and through these meetings, we suggest solutions to people. COP31 will be held in November and will end. Then we will move on to COP32. These meetings have been held for 31 years, more than 70 decisions have been taken, but the number of decisions implemented in the field does not exceed the fingers of one hand. It is exactly at this point that if we make these decisions together with the citizens, if we can bring them together in the same discourse as the citizens, it will have a corresponding effect in the field, and the citizens will embrace this work."
Local Governments and the Circular Economy Will Meet on the Same Ground
Stating that local governments play an important role in strengthening the on-the-ground impact of zero waste and climate action, Ağırbaş announced that they will organize panels and sessions concerning local governments together with the United Nations within the scope of COP31.
Stating that they will exchange views on global waste management with mayors, Ağırbaş expressed that experiences regarding resource management, waste reduction, and strengthening circularity in cities will be shared.
Ağırbaş said, "We will also undertake various studies regarding circularity at COP31. We will announce various circularity models and put forward some global solution proposals in this regard."
From Zero Waste to Implementation at COP31
The experience Türkiye has put forward with the Zero Waste Movement creates an important implementation area aimed at addressing waste management together with the fight against climate change in the process leading up to COP31. With COP31 being held in Antalya, it is aimed to share Türkiye's zero waste experience with different countries, cities, local governments, the private sector, financial institutions, and NGOs.
This approach highlights a holistic understanding of climate action extending not only to managing waste after it occurs but to efficient resource use, preventing waste at the source, strengthening reuse and recycling, and expanding circular production models.
The meeting of the experience starting with Türkiye's Zero Waste Movement with the global climate agenda during the COP31 process opens a new area in terms of sharing the zero waste approach's implementation capacity extending from local to global. COP31, to be held in Antalya, will create an important meeting ground for sharing this knowledge within the framework of global climate action and developing new implementation-oriented collaborations.
