Istanbul: Turkish first lady and Honorary President of the Zero Waste Foundation, Emine Erdogan, has called for the establishment of a permanent United Nations zero waste mechanism. Erdogan made this appeal during the fourth official meeting of the UN Zero Waste High-Level Advisory Board, which she chaired at the Global Zero Waste Forum in Istanbul.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Global Zero Waste Forum, which runs through October 19, is organized by the Zero Waste Foundation in collaboration with Turkey's Environment and Agriculture ministries, UN-Habitat, and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Positioned as a global knowledge hub, the forum aims to foster discussions on zero waste policies and sustainable development strategies among UN officials, international experts, and policymakers.

In her opening remarks, Erdogan emphasized the unique spirit of the Advisory Board, expressing pride in hosting what she described as the world's largest zero waste initiative. She highlighted the significance of the UN General Assembly's 2022 zero waste resolution, which has become a key element of the sustainable development goals. The advisory board, she noted, has been instrumental in guiding global zero waste policies since 2023.

Erdogan stressed the urgency of accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), pointing out that only five years remain to achieve the 2030 goals, with just 18% of targets reached so far. She underscored the importance of raising awareness to hasten progress.

Over the past two years, Erdogan said, the forum and advisory board have achieved significant milestones. She urged the UN to set up a permanent zero waste mechanism, to be coordinated by UN-Habitat and UNEP, with support from Turkey's Zero Waste Foundation. Erdogan envisioned the Zero Waste Forum as the universal face and knowledge center of this initiative.