Special Invitation

Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN Habitat, visited Turkey on February 24 to convey her best wishes to Emine Erdoğan and the Turkish people following the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş on February 6. Sharif also extended a special invitation from UN Secretary-General António Guterres for Emine Erdoğan to attend the International Zero Waste Day event to be held on March 30.

International Zero Waste Day

The UN General Assembly adopted the "zero waste" resolution, hosted primarily by Turkey and supported by 105 other countries, through consensus on December 14, 2022. With this resolution, March 30 was declared "International Zero Waste Day."

Emine Erdoğan stated, "We are determined to be part of the solution to environmental issues." During her participation in the UN General Assembly's Zero Waste Special Session as a special guest of the UN Secretary-General, she emphasized the need for a fair system based on the principle of equitable distribution in addressing climate and environmental problems.

Emine Erdoğan addressed participants at a high-level event on "zero waste" co-hosted by the 77th President of the UN General Assembly, alongside UN Secretary-General António Guterres, which involved 105 co-hosting countries.

Beginning her remarks by commemorating those who lost their lives in the earthquakes affecting 11 provinces on February 6, Emine Erdoğan expressed gratitude on behalf of herself and the Turkish people to everyone who came to support Turkey through search and rescue efforts and humanitarian aid.

As the first spouse of a Turkish president to speak at the UN General Assembly, Emine Erdoğan highlighted the interconnectedness of the world and the need for respect towards the Earth, which hosts millions of species and operates in a balanced system. She stated that humans are a part of this mosaic and should respect the Earth and its workings.

"WE MUST ACT IMMEDIATELY AND AS A WHOLE"

Emine Erdoğan lamented that this understanding has been lost over the past two centuries, with humans positioning themselves against nature despite being responsible for maintaining the balance of the Earth. She pointed out that humanity consumes far more than it needs and thoughtlessly leaves waste behind.

Emine Erdoğan said, "We live in a world where waste is sent to the least developed countries with the mindset that 'Unseen waste is harmless.' These waste piles not only pollute nature but also create a new form of colonialism. If thousands of children still die around the world due to drought caused by climate change, we do not have a single minute to lose in saying 'Stop' to this trend. In a world where millions lack access to drinking water, the fact that producing a single cigarette requires 3.7 liters of water deeply wounds every responsible global citizen."

Emphasizing that it is humanity's responsibility to put an end to this destruction and save the world, Emine Erdoğan remarked, "In this equation, we either win together or lose together. Therefore, we must act immediately and as a whole."

Emine Erdoğan noted that the Zero Waste Project, which they launched in Turkey five years ago and which has spread globally, demonstrates their ability to initiate significant transformations. She highlighted that millions of waste have been recovered within the project, resulting in savings of 650 million tons of raw materials and preventing the emission of 4 million tons of greenhouse gases.

She stated, "As Turkey, we continue our determination to be part of the solution to environmental issues, just as we do with any global problem." Emine Erdoğan also shared that they are working on establishing a "Zero Waste Foundation" to expand their efforts in collaboration with civil society volunteers.

"WE NEED A FAIR SYSTEM BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION IN CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES"

Emine Erdoğan pointed out that every culture, including the rich civilization rooted in Anatolian culture, contains various examples of harmonious living with nature. She expressed her belief that "the seed of zero waste will sprout in whichever conscience we plant it," urging collective action guided by a shared conscience and wisdom.

She reminded that the global commitment document signed with UN Secretary-General António Guterres is an important step towards institutionalizing zero waste practices. "I take great pride and joy as a zero waste volunteer in the fact that this movement we initiated in our country has reached a level that will serve as a model to the world and has transformed into a strong policy under the UN framework. This success belongs to responsible individuals who reduce their waste and recycle it at home, as much as it does to policymakers who develop macro-level policies," Emine Erdoğan stated.

She emphasized the necessity of a fair system based on equitable distribution in climate and environmental issues, similar to other concerns.

"WE ARE THE LAST GENERATION THAT CAN TURN THIS TREND AROUND"

Emine Erdoğan highlighted the importance of President Erdoğan's statement that "the world is bigger than five" in the context of combating climate change, noting, "We must establish a fair system that considers countries most affected by climate change, despite having contributed least to it. We cannot turn our backs on the issues of countries that cannot adequately feed their own children while mobilizing their land and water to meet the needs of wealthier nations. We cannot speak of fair sharing when the number of children dying of hunger is the same as those dying of obesity. We cannot waste a third of the food produced while stating that 'the world population is increasing, and resources are insufficient for humanity,' especially when that food could eliminate hunger. That's why I cry out: The world is bigger than five."

Emine Erdoğan insisted that change must start today for future generations, saying, "I want to address anyone who thinks, 'Am I the one to save the world?': Yes, you are, yes we are, we will save the world. Because we are the last generation that can turn this trend around. Even the longest journeys begin with a single step. I hope this March 30 will be the first step towards a path we will walk together for our future and our common home, the world."

To specifically listen to Emine Erdoğan's speech at the UN, UN Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif, UN General Assembly Vice President Aksoltan Ataeva, the wife of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Tamara Vucic, Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Sahibe Gafarova, Lola Kerimova, the daughter of former Uzbek President Islam Karimov, Trinidad and Tobago's Foreign Minister Amery Brown, and Libya's Environment Minister Ibrahim Alaraby Munir were also present in the hall.

UN SECRETARY-GENERAL GUTERRES: "I APPRECIATE TURKEY AND EMINE ERDOĞAN'S LEADERSHIP"

UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated during the Zero Waste Special Session in the General Assembly hall, "I would like to express my respect and appreciation for the leadership of the Turkish government and Emine Erdoğan on the critical issue of zero waste."

He pointed out that humanity has treated the world like a "dump" and has turned "its only home into trash." Guterres drew attention to the impact of waste and air pollution on the environment, economy, and health.

He noted that the waste list includes many different types such as plastics, spoiled food, batteries, and construction debris, citing World Bank data that states the world produces 2 billion tons of urban solid waste annually, with 33% of it being improperly managed.

Emphasizing that globally reducing waste will significantly decrease carbon emissions, Guterres warned, "We have very little time left to prevent a climate disaster."

Guterres continued, "Waste kills our people, our planet, our natural resources, and our ecosystems, leading to billions in losses for our economy each year. The amount of waste continues to rise. It is predicted that urban solid waste production will double to reach 4 billion tons by 2050. Waste is turning our planet into garbage. The time has come to wage war on waste."

He stressed that countries, cities, and local governments need to invest in improving their waste management systems and produce policies to encourage people to reuse and recycle.

EMİNE ERDOĞAN TO CHAIR THE ZERO WASTE ADVISORY BOARD

UN Secretary-General Guterres announced that countries should draw inspiration from examples like Turkey's Zero Waste Project, led by Emine Erdoğan. He expressed his pleasure in announcing the establishment of an Advisory Board consisting of distinguished individuals in the field of zero waste, thanking Emine Erdoğan for accepting to chair this board.

Guterres stated that the Advisory Board will share success stories from national and local zero waste initiatives.

Finally, Guterres underscored the need for consumers to act more responsibly, urging, "We must all consider the source and impact of the products we buy daily and reflect on how we dispose of them."

He highlighted the significant economic benefits of all these measures, asserting that circular zero waste economies will allow governments to save, but this requires global cooperation.

Guterres explained that the zero waste resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly last year demonstrates the political will needed in this direction, stating, "We are polluting our world; it is time to clean up. Let us work together to build a future composed of circular and zero waste for our people and our planet."

INTERNATIONAL ZERO WASTE DAY

On December 14, 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted the "zero waste" resolution with Turkey as the main sponsor and 105 other countries as co-sponsors by consensus. With this resolution, March 30 was declared "International Zero Waste Day."