Turkey’s zero waste project wins UN global action award

ANKARA

Turkey’s zero waste project has won the UN Development Program Turkey’s first (UNDP) Global Goals Action Award.

“The project will receive UNDP Turkey’s Sustainable Development Goals Action Award due to its important contributions to the goal Responsible Production and Consumption, one of the Sustainable Development Goals,” the UNDP Turkey said in a statement.

Led by First Lady Emine Erdoğan, the project aims to reduce the volume of non-recyclable waste. It is also listed in the Environmental Performance Review of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The award for the project, which has successfully met the responsible consumption and production goal, will be given for the first time.

It will be presented to Erdogan by UNDP Turkey Resident Representative Claudio Tomasi at a ceremony in the capital Ankara on March 25.

Turkey’s project aims to reduce the volume of non-recyclable waste. It is also listed in the Environmental Performance Review of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

As part of the project initiated in 2017, the recovery rate is targeted to reach 35 percent in 2023, which is 19 percent currently.

Between 2017 to 2020, 315 million kilowatt-hour energy, 345 million cubic meters of water, 50 million barrels of oil, 397 million tons of raw materials, and 209 million trees were saved.

The project has also prevented 2 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions and saved 209 million trees.