The Zero Waste Foundation hosted a high-level consultation meeting in Antalya, bringing together key actors of global climate diplomacy. With the joint declaration published at the end of the meeting, a new global climate action roadmap shaped around zero waste and the circular economy was put forward.
Chaired by Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, the meeting was attended by former Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Governor of Antalya Hulusi Şahin, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Türkiye Babatunde Ahonsi, and numerous international climate leaders, as well as High-Level Climate Champions who served in previous COP processes.
"This Movement Has Crossed Continents"
Emphasizing "common sense" in his opening speech, Ağırbaş stated that the Zero Waste Movement, initiated in 2017 under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, has today transformed into a model of transformation that resonates on a global scale. Ağırbaş expressed that the movement has now become an international cooperation platform rather than just an environmental initiative.
Türkiye's Role in the COP31 Process
The meeting also addressed priorities regarding the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be hosted by Türkiye. Ağırbaş emphasized that the efforts carried out under the leadership of Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, are implementation-oriented and aimed at producing concrete results.
Touching upon the coordination efforts carried out by the Zero Waste Foundation together with the United Nations Türkiye offices, Ağırbaş stated that this process is progressing with a multi-stakeholder structure.
Global Interest in the Zero Waste Forum
Announcing that participation from more than 150 countries is expected at the Zero Waste Forum to be held in Istanbul on June 5-7, Ağırbaş stated that the forum will be one of the largest civil environmental platforms on a global scale.
Antalya Governor Hulusi Şahin stated that Antalya hosts guests 10 times its population every year, saying, "At the same time, there is major agricultural activity in Antalya. All of this naturally puts a heavy burden on the environment. We are aware of this. As Türkiye, we strive to make every operation we carry out sustainable, and we are working to hand over this heavenly geography to our children in this state, or even better if possible."
Şahin added, "I would like to thank our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who guides us with his leadership in all our efforts, First Lady Emine Erdoğan, who opened new horizons for us with the zero waste initiative, our Zero Waste Foundation President Mr. Samed Ağırbaş, our Member of Parliament and former Minister Mr. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who is both the mastermind and initiator of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, and you, our esteemed participants."
"Time for Results, Not Words"
Speaking at the meeting, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu pointed out that the climate crisis is not only an environmental issue but also an economic, social, and humanitarian one, emphasizing that a period has been entered where concrete results must now be discussed.
Çavuşoğlu stated, "Climate diplomacy and international cooperation have become more critical than ever. The climate crisis knows no borders. Solutions cannot be limited to national borders either. Trust-based, inclusive, and effective climate diplomacy is the strongest tool to unite countries with different conditions around common goals. As Türkiye, we are responding to this global problem with a conscience-based approach."
Emphasis on Youth and Inclusivity
One of the important topics of the meeting was the role of youth in climate policies. Ömer Tayyip Erdoğan, representative of the Youth Diplomacy Association, announced that youth will be directly included in decision-making processes through the new "Youth Forum" to be established within the Zero Waste Forum.
Speaking on behalf of the United Nations, Babatunde Ahonsi expressed that such platforms bringing together different stakeholders play a critical role in accelerating climate action.
Concrete Action Plan on the Table
The main focus of the meeting was transforming the Global Climate Action Agenda into concrete outputs and creating an applicable action plan. In this context:
• More effective participation of non-state actors in the process
• Strengthening multi-stakeholder collaborations
• Developing financing and implementation mechanisms
were addressed as priority topics.
A New Structure for Istanbul: Zero Waste Working Group
During the meeting, it was also decided to establish the "Istanbul Zero Waste Working Group". With this structure, it is aimed to make Istanbul one of the leading cities on a global scale in the fields of environment and climate.
A Strong Message with a Joint Declaration
In the High-Level Climate Champions Declaration published at the end of the meeting:
• Placing zero waste and the circular economy at the center of climate policies
• Strengthening global cooperation
• Expanding implementation-oriented climate actions
were emphasized as fundamental goals.
The declaration also drew attention to the contribution of the Zero Waste vision to the global climate agenda, stating that this approach offers a holistic model for sustainable development.
New Era: Implementation and Impact
This meeting held in Antalya is considered a strong indicator of the transition to a new implementation era in global climate action. This approach, based on zero waste and the circular economy, is expected to be one of the main axes of climate policies in the upcoming period.
