Zero Waste Foundation brought Türkiye’s COP31 vision to Bonn

The Zero Waste Foundation highlighted Türkiye’s COP31 vision at the Bonn Climate Change Conference, placing zero waste, circular economy and international cooperation at the center of practical climate action.

Bonn, Germany — The Zero Waste Foundation has brought Türkiye’s zero waste and COP31 vision to international stakeholders in Germany, as Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 Climate High-Level Champion, held a series of meetings during the Bonn Climate Change Conference.

The talks focused on Türkiye’s preparations for COP31, the global role of the Zero Waste Movement, circular economy, climate finance, local government action, civil society participation and support for vulnerable countries. Ağırbaş also met with Turkish civil society organizations and citizens in Cologne, underlining the role of diaspora communities in sharing Türkiye’s climate and environmental vision abroad.

A practical agenda for climate action

The Zero Waste Foundation positioned zero waste not only as an environmental practice, but as a practical climate action model based on prevention, resource efficiency and sustainable living. This message is especially relevant in Germany, where circular economy, energy transition and climate responsibility remain central public and policy issues.

The Foundation’s approach builds on the global vision of H.E. Emine Erdoğan, founder of the Zero Waste Movement, Chair of the UN High-Level Advisory Board on Zero Waste and Honorary President of the Zero Waste Foundation. Under this vision, zero waste has developed into a broader international platform for cooperation, implementation and public awareness.

During the Bonn Climate Change Conference, Ağırbaş held discussions with international stakeholders on fair and accessible climate finance, support for least developed and climate-vulnerable countries, sustainable energy, land management and the role of non-state actors. Meetings also addressed how local governments and civil society can contribute more directly to climate goals.

“COP31 is an opportunity to move zero waste from a technical discussion into a practical climate action agenda,” said Samed Ağırbaş. “In Bonn, we conveyed a clear message: climate action must be implementable, inclusive and connected to people’s daily lives. Zero waste offers a concrete way to reduce pressure on resources, strengthen circular economy practices and build cooperation between governments, cities, civil society and citizens.”

Türkiye’s role on the road to COP31

Türkiye’s COP31 vision was a central theme of the Germany program. Discussions in Bonn covered multilateral cooperation, the priorities of developing countries and the need for stronger international solidarity ahead of COP31.

The Zero Waste Foundation also emphasized that climate action should not remain limited to negotiation rooms. Its work aims to connect policy dialogue with practical outcomes, including city-level action, stakeholder partnerships and scalable solutions across sectors.

This direction was also reflected at Zero Waste Forum 2026 in Istanbul, organized by the Zero Waste Foundation under the theme “Road to Antalya: Zero Waste as Climate Action.” The forum brought together international decision-makers, local authorities, civil society and sector representatives, helping to frame zero waste as an implementation-focused climate agenda ahead of COP31.

A bridge between Germany, Türkiye and global cooperation

Following the Bonn meetings, Ağırbaş met with Turkish civil society organizations and citizens in Cologne. The meetings created a space to share Türkiye’s environmental diplomacy, the Zero Waste Movement and the country’s broader climate vision with the Turkish community in Germany.

For German audiences, the Foundation’s message connects directly with the country’s own climate and circular economy debates. It also opens a wider conversation on how Türkiye, Germany and international partners can work together on resource efficiency, sustainable cities, clean energy and climate resilience.

As the road to COP31 continues, the Zero Waste Foundation will keep bringing this perspective to the international climate agenda. Zero waste is not only about managing waste after it is created, but about preventing waste, using resources more wisely and turning climate ambition into everyday practice.

Contact:

Ahmet Musa Bala

basin@sifiratikvakfi.org