Antalya: The COP31 summit, scheduled for November in Antalya, Trkiye, is poised to be a pivotal moment for advancing climate action, officials announced at a Zero Waste Foundation retreat.

According to Anadolu Agency, officials engaged with the Turkish delegation during a three-day preparatory retreat in Istanbul from February 6-8. The event was organized by the Zero Waste Foundation to exchange perspectives ahead of COP31, the year’s largest climate summit under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, hosted by Trkiye on its Mediterranean coast.

Samed Agirbas, president of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 high-level climate champion, chaired the meeting. The retreat brought together senior advisers, members of the UN Zero Waste Advisory Board, and key COP31 stakeholders to outline a roadmap leading up to the summit.

Lara van Druten, a member of the UN Zero Waste Advisory Board and CEO of Waste Transformers, along with Special Advisor Neil Khor and Atif Ikram Butt, shared insights with Anadolu on their expectations for COP31. Druten emphasized the importance of integrating zero waste with climate change on the summit’s agenda, highlighting food waste as a critical issue. She noted that reforming food value chains could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and align with COP31 priorities.

Neil Khor highlighted the focus on aligning the foundation’s goals with the COP process and supporting Agirbas in preparation for the summit. He emphasized the importance of translating climate policy into actionable measures on the ground and mentioned a digital platform to facilitate broader participation in COP31.

Atif Ikram Butt called for global cooperation to turn climate commitments into tangible actions. He noted that COP31 presents an opportunity for Trkiye to demonstrate leadership in zero waste and serve as a bridge between North and South in achieving the goals set in the Paris Agreement.