The Zero Waste Forum 2026, one of the most prominent international gatherings as Türkiye prepares to host COP31, will be held in Istanbul on June 5-7. Organized by the Zero Waste Foundation with the theme "Road to Antalya: Zero Waste as Climate Action," the Forum aims to place the zero waste approach at the center of global climate policies.
The organization, to be held within the scope of the June 1-7 Istanbul Zero Waste Week, will bring together government representatives, city administrations, international organizations, the business world, academia, and civil society on the same platform, creating a strategic threshold that accelerates implementation preparations ahead of COP31.
Türkiye's Strategic Position Strengthens in the COP31 Process
The Zero Waste Movement, growing on a global scale under the auspices of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, Chair of the United Nations Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste and Honorary President of the Zero Waste Foundation, has become one of the fundamental pillars of Türkiye's environmental and climate policies.
Shaped in line with this vision, the Zero Waste Forum will pave the way for the development of new partnerships in the areas of climate diplomacy, implementation capacity, and multi-stakeholder cooperation during the process where Türkiye will host COP31.
The Forum will be positioned as a global implementation platform directly linking the zero waste approach with climate action.
"Road to Antalya": The Era of Implementation and Cooperation Ahead of COP31
The Zero Waste Forum is designed not merely as a summit for exchanging ideas, but as an operational meeting point where concrete implementation preparations will be developed ahead of COP31.
It is aimed that the collaborations and announcements to be developed within the scope of the Forum will support the preparation process for the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be held in Türkiye.
In particular, partnerships to be established among cities, public institutions, the private sector, and academia are intended to turn into scalable climate solutions during the COP31 process in Antalya.
Global Participation Expected in Istanbul Ahead of COP31
The Zero Waste Forum 2026 is expected to bring together participants from over 150 countries in Istanbul. The organization will be attended by more than 100 ministers, over 200 mayors, representatives of international organizations, investors, academics, and civil society actors.
The Forum program will also feature three critical high-level ministerial sessions:
• Session of the Ministers of Industry and Technology
• Session of the Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry
• Session of the Ministers of Energy and Natural Resources
These sessions will address sector-based implementation areas ahead of COP31, city-scale transformation models, and sustainable development policies.
One of the most striking thematic areas of the Forum will be the reduction of food waste and methane emissions.
In this context:
• The relationship between organic waste management and climate policies will be strengthened,
• Applicable solution models on a city scale will be shared,
• Practices aimed at preventing waste generation in the food value chain will be highlighted,
• Scalable intervention models for methane reduction will be evaluated.
Drawing attention to the critical role the zero waste approach plays, especially in combating the short-term impacts of global warming, the Forum aims to increase international coordination in this field ahead of COP31.
From Commitment to Action: Concrete Outputs to be Prepared for COP31
The documents to be announced at the end of the Forum are planned to be evaluated as tools that will directly contribute to the implementation processes ahead of COP31.
The main outputs to be prepared in this context include:
• Road to Antalya Declaration
• City Action Commitments Package
• Food Waste and Methane Action Guide
• Partnership and Project Pipeline
• Measurement and Accountability Note
• Zero Waste Forum 2026 Summary Report
will be included.
Istanbul to Become the Center of Global Climate Dialogue Ahead of COP31
The Zero Waste Forum 2026 aims to make Istanbul a global center where climate action, urban transformation, and zero waste policies are discussed ahead of COP31.
Together with the events to be organized within the scope of the Istanbul Zero Waste Week and the Zero Waste Festival to be held concurrently, the Forum will also create a broad-based ground for social awareness.
For detailed information regarding the program flow, speakers, partnership applications, and current announcements: https://globalzerowasteforum.org/en
