UN, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestery and Zero Waste Foundation Discuss Strengthening Climate Action and Circular Economy in Türkiye

The United Nations in Türkiye held a high-level meeting with the Zero Waste Foundation, bringing together UN Resident Coordinator Babatunde Ahonsi, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, and the President of the Zero Waste Foundation, along with representatives of the UN Country Team. The discussions focused on advancing climate action, circular economy initiatives, and integrated waste management in alignment with Türkiye’s sustainable development goals and its Net Zero targets.

In his opening remarks, UN Resident Coordinator Dr. Babatunde Ahonsi emphasized the importance of assessing COP 29 outcomes in shaping Türkiye’s national climate policies. He highlighted the NDC 3.0 process as a key opportunity to enhance climate ambition and align with global targets. Stressing the UN's commitment, he stated: “The UN remains dedicated to collaborating with Türkiye, leveraging our global expertise and fostering partnerships that promote low-carbon, resource-efficient, and circular economic models.”

Ahonsi highlighted several key areas for strengthened collaboration, emphasizing the need for joint assessments and evidence generation to enhance data collection and analysis for informed policy and decision-making. He underscored the importance of policy support through improved regulatory frameworks that facilitate circular economy transitions and climate resilience. Additionally, he stressed the role of advocacy and outreach in raising public and private sector awareness to accelerate action and mobilize resources. Ahonsi also pointed to the significance of piloting replicable and scalable catalytic programs that can serve as models for broader adoption. Lastly, he emphasized the necessity of cross-cutting joint initiatives that address intersectoral priorities, including just transition, green jobs, digitalization, and innovation, to maximize impact.

Minister Yumaklı underscored the long-standing cooperation between the UN and Türkiye, particularly in natural resource management, sustainable food systems, and rural development. He emphasized the significance of initiatives such as the "Convergence Initiative" launched last year to integrate food systems and climate action, as well as ongoing partnerships with FAO, IFAD, UNDP and WFP.

“I would like to express our great satisfaction with our long-standing cooperation with various UN agencies in Türkiye. Collaborations in critical areas such as environmental sustainability, water management and circular economy make significant contributions both to our country and to environmental policies on a global scale. We attach importance to the development and expansion of these collaborations to a wider impact area” Yumaklı said. 

Samed Ağırbaş, the President of the Zero Waste Foundation reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation in environmental policies. Noting Türkiye’s leadership in the global zero waste movement, he stated: “The UN Zero Waste Advisory Board plays a crucial role in advancing this agenda, and we take great pride in actively contributing to its implementation and the broader vision of global sustainability.”

“This meeting provided a great opportunity for our Minister and the United Nations agencies to come together and evaluate the common areas of cooperation. As the Zero Waste Foundation, we are pleased to be at this important meeting and hope that such meetings will pave the way for long-term and sustainable business co-operation” Ağırbaş added.

The United Nations and the Zero Waste Foundation signed a Joint Declaration of Intent in September 2024 which outlines a shared commitment to supporting SDGs advancement in Türkiye with a focus on SDG 12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).