United Nations Türkiye and Zero Waste Foundation Forge Partnership to Advance Sustainable Development Goals in Türkiye

In a significant step toward enhancing sustainability and advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations and the Zero Waste Foundation have signed a Joint Declaration of Intent. This agreement marks a pivotal collaboration aimed at addressing key sustainability challenges and promoting zero waste and circular economy practices in Türkiye.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Türkiye, Dr. Babatunde Ahonsi, and Zero Waste Foundation President, Mr. Samed Ağırbaş signed the Declaration on September 5 in Ankara. 

“The World is struggling to meet the 2030 agenda, partnerships like this will accelerate progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” said Ahonsi during the signing ceremony. 

Ağırbaş said the Foundation is looking forward to collaboration with the UN in Türkiye in zero waste, circular economy initiatives and COP 29. 

The Joint Declaration outlines a shared commitment to supporting SDGs with a focus on SDG 12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Both parties recognize the need for a shift towards waste prevention, resource efficiency, and effective waste management as crucial components of climate mitigation and sustainable development.

The agreement highlights several collaborative areas, including the conduct of joint analyses on zero waste approaches, co-designing multistakeholder consultation platforms linked with the COP 29 process, and developing policy recommendations for the Turkish government. Additionally, the UN Türkiye and the Foundation will also work in collaboration on outreach activities to foster social and behavioral change among youth, students, and the private sector.