Emine Erdoğan celebrated the 7th anniversary of the Zero Waste Movement! Ten-year plans were discussed.

Under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan, the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, significant efforts for sustainable nature have been implemented through the Zero Waste Movement, which was initiated in 2017 and is coordinated by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. While celebrating the 7th year of this project, the new slogan was determined as '7 continents in 7 years'.

60% TARGET BY 2035

According to a statement from the ministry; with the Zero Waste Movement initiated on September 27, 2017, under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan, the aim is to prevent waste generation, separate waste at the source, and increase recycling and resource efficiency. Since the beginning of the project, which promotes sustainable production and consumption habits, the number of buildings that have transitioned to the Zero Waste Management System has reached 193,000. Within the scope of the Zero Waste Movement, the General Directorate of İller Bankası, affiliated with the ministry, supported the establishment of 46 storage, sorting, and transfer facilities in different parts of Turkey over 7 years. In the solid waste facilities that have been put into operation, 9,000 tons of waste are sorted daily and converted into products or energy. Approximately 22 million people have been trained on Zero Waste. The recycling rate, which was 13% in 2017, increased to 34.92% in 2023. The goal is to raise the recycling rate to 60% by 2035.

5.9 MILLION TONS OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS PREVENTED

The Zero Waste Project has been implemented in the pilot district of Kızılcahamam, Ankara, since 2019. Citizens earn points that they can use for shopping in markets based on the weight of the waste they separate. The Zero Waste Garden established in the district includes not only a waste separation area but also a recycling workshop, a Zero Waste Playground, a Package-Free Waste Store, and a Zero Waste Cafeteria. Additionally, it was announced by Okan Bahrioğlu, the Head of the Zero Waste Applications Department affiliated with the ministry, that the number of pilot districts will be increased this year.

In the Zero Waste Advisory Board, established on April 12, 2023, under the chairmanship of Emine Erdoğan, 13 members from the United States, Sierra Leone, Chile, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, the Netherlands, Morocco, Belgium, and India, along with Guy Bernard Ryder, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Policy, are included. Within the scope of the project, the Zero Waste Regulation, which determines the procedures and principles regarding the establishment and implementation of the Zero Waste Management System, was published in the Official Gazette on July 12, 2019, and came into force. The 'Procedures and Principles Regarding the Establishment and Operation of Waste Collection Centers and Zero Waste Applications' was also published on December 31, 2021, to determine the administrative and technical issues related to waste collection centers.

HEADED THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The Zero Waste Project has also been included in the 11th Development Plan (2019-2023), becoming a state policy. With the Green Deal Action Plan, it was decided to implement the project in the circular economy. Zero Waste has been included in the national 10 action plans and strategy documents during the 7-year process. On December 14, 2022, during the UN General Assembly, the Zero Waste resolution, co-sponsored by 105 countries under Turkey's main sponsorship, was adopted by vote, and March 30 was declared 'International Zero Waste Day'. Emine Erdoğan participated in the events of the first International Zero Waste Day held on March 30, 2023, at the special invitation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Here, Emine Erdoğan, who met with Guterres, addressed participants at a special session on 'Zero Waste' organized by the President of the 77th UN General Assembly, which included 105 co-sponsoring countries. Reminding the international community of President Erdoğan's words, 'The world is bigger than five' and 'A fairer world is possible' in the UN General Assembly Hall, Emine Erdoğan thus became the first Turkish leader's spouse to address the UN General Assembly. Additionally, at this meeting, upon Guterres' proposal, she took over the presidency of the 'UN Zero Waste High-Level Personalities Advisory Board.'

As part of the 78th UN General Assembly meetings, an event titled 'Towards a Global Zero Waste Movement' was organized at the Türkevi under the leadership of Emine Erdoğan. During the signing ceremony held at the event, President Erdoğan signed the 'Global Zero Waste Goodwill Declaration'. The website 'https://zerowastecommitment.com', opened with President Erdoğan's signature, has become a platform where over 10,000 zero waste volunteers from 73 countries have signed the goodwill declaration.

The project has received numerous international awards to date. In 2018, it received the 'Zero Waste, Zero Hunger' award from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In 2021, it was awarded the 'UNDP Sustainable Development Goals Award' by the UN Development Program and the 'Waste Wise Cities Global Champion Award' by the UN Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat). In 2022, it received the 'Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly Award (PAW Awards)' and the 'Climate and Development Leadership Award' presented by the World Bank, as well as the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (AKDENİZ-PA) award.