Within the scope of its activities during London Climate Action Week (LCAW), the Zero Waste Foundation organized the "Zero Waste Foundation Information Meeting" hosted by the Embassy of Türkiye in London.
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, Türkiye's Ambassador to London Osman Koray Ertaş, and President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion Samed Ağırbaş attended the meeting.
At the meeting, where the international works of the Zero Waste approach—which transformed into a global environmental movement under the auspices of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, Founder of the Zero Waste Movement, Chair of the United Nations Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste, and Honorary President of the Zero Waste Foundation—were discussed; combating climate change, energy transition, sustainability, resource efficiency, and joint work areas were evaluated.
"Energy Transition Should Be Addressed Together with Security, Independence, and Climate Goals"
Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar stated that developments in global energy markets have increased the strategic importance of energy supply security.
Drawing attention to the rapidly rising electricity demand in the world, Bayraktar expressed that areas such as artificial intelligence technologies, data centers, electric transportation, and cooling systems will further increase the energy need in the future.
Stating that Türkiye focuses on three main priorities in the clean energy transition, Bayraktar said that energy supply security, independence in energy, and the goal of a carbon-neutral economy by the early 2050s are at the center of the country's energy policies.
Emphasizing that reducing Türkiye's dependence on energy imports is critical in terms of economic resilience, Bayraktar expressed that the energy transition will bring about comprehensive changes throughout the entire economy.
Stating that nuclear energy is also an important option in Türkiye's long-term energy strategy, Bayraktar drew attention to the role of nuclear energy in terms of its capacity to generate electricity without producing emissions.
Noting that Türkiye continues to increase its renewable energy capacity, Bayraktar recorded that energy efficiency and the zero waste approach are also important components of the sustainable energy transition.
"Zero Waste is a Strong Environmental Vision Spreading from Türkiye to the World"
In his evaluation at the meeting, Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, drew attention to the impact the Zero Waste approach has created on a global scale.
Stating that the Zero Waste vision and priorities during the COP31 process were discussed at the meeting held as part of the London contacts, Ağırbaş made the following evaluations:
"We evaluated our Zero Waste vision and priorities in the COP31 process with the participation of our Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and our Ambassador to London Osman Koray Ertaş. We continue our efforts for the Zero Waste movement to grow stronger in the international arena."
Expressing that the Zero Waste Movement has become a strong environmental model spreading from Türkiye to the world under the auspices of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, Ağırbaş emphasized that the approach resonates globally in terms of the efficient use of resources, waste reduction, and the development of a sustainable lifestyle culture.
"We Will Continue to Produce Sustainable Solutions with Collective Wisdom"
Drawing attention to the fact that climate action will be strengthened through multi-stakeholder collaborations during the COP31 process, Ağırbaş emphasized the importance of strong coordination among public institutions, the private sector, academia, and non-governmental organizations.
Stating that information sharing, experience transfer, and collective wisdom are of great importance in achieving climate goals, Ağırbaş expressed that they will continue to develop sustainable solutions.
Also mentioning that the Zero Waste Foundation aims to increase its collaborations with Turks living abroad, Ağırbaş said that with the career center to be established within the Foundation, they plan to offer internship and mentoring opportunities to youth in international organizations.
Goal of Making Istanbul One of the Global Centers in the Field of Zero Waste
Providing information about the international activities of the Zero Waste Foundation at the meeting, Ağırbaş stated that efforts are underway towards the goal of making Istanbul one of the exemplary cities on a global scale in the field of zero waste.
Expressing that international platforms like the Zero Waste Forum increase the capacity to develop joint solutions in the fields of environment and climate, Ağırbaş noted that the Foundation will continue to strengthen its global collaborations.
The gathering in London created an important platform in terms of sharing the vision Türkiye put forward in the fields of climate, energy, and sustainability during the COP31 process with international stakeholders.
