First lady Emine Erdoğan delivered a compelling call to action on the issue of zero waste during the signing ceremony of the Global Zero Waste goodwill declaration in New York. Her impassioned plea came as part of the event titled "Toward a Global Zero Waste Movement," held within the framework of the 78th United Nations General Assembly.
Addressing an international audience, Erdoğan shared Türkiye's commitment to zero waste and encouraged individuals worldwide to join the cause by signing the Zero Waste Declaration of Goodwill. She emphasized the urgency of the climate crisis, urging a shift from rhetoric to immediate action.
Erdoğan stated, "Today, we are bearing the fruit of the zero waste seed we planted in Türkiye a few years ago, turning into a tree that will refresh the whole world." She underlined the critical juncture in addressing climate change and highlighted recent major disasters experienced in Türkiye, Libya, Greece, Bulgaria and Georgia as stark reminders of the pressing environmental challenges.
The first lady drew attention to the vast amount of food waste globally, where 127 tons of food are produced every second. Of that, 41 tons go to waste without being consumed, while 820 million people grapple with hunger.
Erdoğan remarked on the alarming proliferation of plastic waste, with 1 billion plastic bottles being used every minute worldwide. A substantial portion of this waste finds its way into oceans, posing a dire threat to marine life.
Predicting that the annual production of domestic waste, currently at 2 billion tons, would double to 4 billion tons by 2050, Erdoğan stressed that such high consumption not only exacerbates waste problems but also depletes natural resources.
She proudly recounted Türkiye's achievements in waste management over the past six years, preventing the use of 650 million tons of raw materials and preserving land and water resources equivalent to 2,000 football fields and the annual needs of over 2 million families.
Erdoğan reminded the audience of Türkiye's commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and the unfulfilled pledge of $100 billion to the Green Climate Fund by 2020. She expressed concern about the reluctance of many countries to honor their collective decisions.
Drawing attention to the disparity between developed and developing nations in addressing climate issues, Erdoğan stressed the need for sincere international cooperation in combating the climate crisis.
New York Mayor Eric Adams, a guest at the event, echoed the importance of waste reduction for a healthy planet. He commended the first lady's dedication to environmental sustainability and called on global leaders to prioritize preserving the environment for future generations.
The event also featured remarks from Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Mehmet Özhaseki, U.N.-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif, U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Inger Andersen and U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Guy Ryder.
The evening concluded with a performance by musician Ömer Faruk Tekbilek and an exhibition titled "The Secret of Creation, Ebru Art and Sustainability" by marbling artist Hikmet Barutçugil, created from waste materials, attended by first lady Erdoğan and eight other first ladies, along with a foreign delegation.
Meanwhile, Emine Erdoğan also met with her Colombian counterpart Veronica Alcocer Garcia on Tuesday.
Erdoğan and Garcia met at the Turkish House in New York City, which houses the country's local consulate and the U.N. representation.
During the meeting, the first ladies discussed women's rights, equal opportunities in education, and waste management.
Garcia congratulated Erdoğan for her position Monday chairing the first meeting of the U.N. Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste, at the proposal of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Saying she fondly remembered her 2015 visit to Colombia, Erdoğan invited Garcia to visit Istanbul on Oct. 31 for World Cities Day.
"We shared our achievements and experiences with our Zero Waste project since 2017 and discussed areas of cooperation on waste management as well as the issues of strengthening women's leadership and equal opportunities in education," Erdoğan said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
