Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, emphasized in an article he penned for Pakistan’s largest newspaper, The Express Tribune, that the zero waste approach is one of the fundamental elements of global climate action in the face of the deepening impacts of the climate crisis. Ağırbaş’s article contributed to bringing the topics of zero waste, resource efficiency, and the circular economy more strongly to the international public agenda during Türkiye’s COP31 Presidency.
The Zero Waste Foundation, which continues its efforts in line with the vision 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—maintains its international efforts to integrate the zero waste approach with climate action in the process leading up to COP31. Assuming an active role in the global climate action agenda as the COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, Ağırbaş increases the visibility of the zero waste approach across different geographies and international platforms during this process.
“We Must Model Nature's Perfect Cycle”
Ağırbaş recalled the historic June temperatures in Western Europe, which rose 3.05 degrees above the average, and the massive "A23a" iceberg, once known as the largest iceberg, which melted and disappeared in the South Atlantic Ocean. Touching upon the energy crisis created in global markets by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and supply chain disruptions, Ağırbaş noted that all these developments are directly interconnected.
“On the one hand, we are witnessing the devastating effects of a warming planet, and on the other, the irreversible losses of nature and the deep wounds inflicted on our economies by resource dependency. These three pictures shout a single truth to us; the future must have a structure that is more efficient in terms of resources, more circular, and fundamentally based on much less waste.”
Stating that humanity consumes the renewable resources the Earth offers by the seventh month every year and spends 1.7 times the natural capital, Ağırbaş emphasized that only 6.9 percent of the materials used are recovered into the economy.
Pointing out that fossil fuels still meet more than 80 percent of global energy and that urban waste, exceeding 2 billion tons annually, has reached massive proportions, Ağırbaş said, “Without changing our production and consumption habits, it is impossible to protect our soil, forests, and water resources. Nothing goes to waste in nature. We must model this perfect cycle of nature.”
“Our Goal is to Completely Erase the Concept of 'Waste' from the Mind”
Reminding that the Zero Waste Movement, initiated in Türkiye in 2017 under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, has today transformed into a global model that guides world politics and sustainable development policies, Ağırbaş noted the following:
“Zero Waste is not just a waste management or recycling program. Waste management is only the final step of this hierarchy. Shaped by the vision of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, our main goal is to prevent waste at its source, extend the lifespan of products, and completely erase the concept of 'waste' from minds. From preventing food waste, which reaches 1 billion tons annually and causes 8-10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, to ensuring food security; we must establish a circular economy in every field, from electronics to textiles.”
“Lasting Success Depends on Practical Solutions that Societies and Individuals Can Adopt and Integrate into Daily Life”
Stating that the Zero Waste approach covers the entire agricultural and food system from farm to table, Ağırbaş emphasized that it offers a holistic model ranging from preventing losses on farms with proper storage, transportation, and logistics solutions, to preventing food waste at home through conscious consumption, food sharing, composting, and reuse. He stated that this transformation not only protects the environment but also creates new employment areas, improves livelihoods, and reinforces global food security.
Pointing out that the same fundamental principles apply to plastic, textile, electronic, and all industrial raw material items, Ağırbaş continued his evaluations as follows:
“Zero Waste reminds us that real progress in the fight against climate change cannot be achieved solely at international negotiation tables. Lasting success depends on practical solutions that societies and individuals can adopt and transfer into their daily lives. By building a bridge between high-level policies and field applications, we provide concrete proof that sustainable development and climate action must go hand in hand.”
Stating that global challenges such as record-level glacier melting, scorching summer heats, and energy crises that have shaken the world since 2021 point to a world at a turning point, Ağırbaş emphasized that the way to build permanent resilience against all these pressures is to prevent waste at its source before it even occurs, and that this is the fairest and most effective environmental strategy.
