First lady marks International Day of Zero Waste for first time

NEW YORK

While marking the marking International Day of Zero Waste, observed for the first time on March 30, first lady Emine Erdoğan has expressed that if thousands of children are still losing their lives in different parts of the world due to drought caused by climate change, there is not a minute to be lost to stop this situation.

Despite the fact that humanity should respect the functioning of the earth, which is home to millions of living species, this understanding has been lost for the last two centuries, Erdoğan said at the United Nations General Assembly’s Zero Waste Day special session on March 30.

“Man, who is responsible for maintaining the balance of the earth, has positioned himself against nature. And he began to consume the bestowed resources, brutally,” she expressed.

The industrialization has imprisoned mankind in a spiral of abundance, devoid of fertility, in which it consumes many times more than it needs and thoughtlessly abandons what it consumes to the earth, Erdoğan noted.

Referring to sending waste from industrialized countries to underdeveloped countries, Erdoğan stressed that not only does this situation pollutes nature but it also creates a new kind of colonial order.

“Taking measures with an equitable burden-sharing, we have to establish a fair system considering underdeveloped counties that are most affected by the consequences of climate crisis even though they do not contribute it anyway.”

Reminding that there are children who have lost their lives in many parts of the world due to global warming caused by the climate crisis, Erdoğan said that humanity does not have even a minute to lose to end this situation and that action should be taken immediately.

The United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 14 last year unanimously accepted a resolution regarding the project presented by Türkiye, declaring March 30 as International Zero-Waste Day.

“I believe this date will be quite important step for the world, our common home on the way to transform the Zero Waste Project we launched in Türkiye into a global movement,” she expressed.

Erdoğan noted that through the project, they saved 650 million tons of raw materials, recycled millions of tons of other materials and prevented 4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

“I am proud to say that as Türkiye is not indifferent to any global issues, we also continue our determination to be a part of the solution to environmental problems. We are also in the process of establishing a zero-waste foundation with the aim of spreading this effort to a wider audience with volunteers. Our foundation, which will start its activities in the near future, will contribute to making this voice resonate more internationally,” the first lady announced.

Erdoğan and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also visited the Memorial Corner in the U.N.’s New York building dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Feb. 6 earthquakes in Türkiye’s south.