First Lady Emine Erdoğan highlighted the immediate need for global mobilization to address environmental problems and enhance sustainability efforts in a compelling video-recorded speech she delivered at the International Day of Zero Waste event in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, on Wednesday.
Emine Erdoğan decried the perilous condition of Earth's ecosystems, warning that rivers face the threat of disappearance due to improper consumption and that soil worldwide struggles for survival amid chemical waste.
"Air pollution kills 7 million people every year," she stated, pointing to the human toll of environmental degradation. "Since 1970, global wildlife populations have fallen by 70%.
The first lady said humanity generates 2 billion tons of waste annually, leading to severe environmental devastation, especially caused by plastic pollution. She noted that an equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastics is dumped daily into oceans, rivers and lakes.
"Is our conscience at peace with the fact that a continent-sized island of plastic is floating in the ocean because of the people in this century?" Erdogan asked, challenging the audience to confront the consequences of unsustainable practices.
On the origins of the zero waste movement, Erdoğan expressed satisfaction with its evolution into a global initiative, culminating in the U.N. General Assembly's adoption in December 2022 of a resolution in support of zero waste principles.
"The recognition that every resource we consume must be used responsibly lies at the heart of the zero waste approach," she said, stressing the importance of conscious choices in consumption and production.
"As chair of the United Nations Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste, I believe that the awareness of waste-free and sustainable life will be one of the most favorable legacies we can leave to future generations," Erdogan declared, expressing hope for a world where resources are optimized, waste is minimized and sustainability prevails.
Inger Andersen, executive director of the U.N. Environment Program, emphasized that the International Day of Zero Waste reminds us that "our planet cannot endlessly give up resources while receiving pollution in return."
In an address, she stressed the imperative of addressing poorly managed waste, which compromises people's health and the health of the planet.
Also speaking at the meeting, Turkish Ambassador to Kenya Subutay Yuksel commended Erdogan's visionary proposals, including declaring a year of zero waste and establishing a global zero waste fund overseen by the advisory board.
Türkiye's Ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Guven Begec, said the Turkish experience with zero waste started with the first lady's personal commitment.
Begec said it is now a national policy executed by the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry.
"The target is to increase the recovery rate of recyclable waste to 60% in 2035, which was 13% in 2017 and 35% in 2023," Begec said.
Begec said they want to see a zero waste agenda more prominent in the G-7, G-20, U.N. COP climate change conferences and Pacific Island Forum meetings.
"Waste pollution threatens human health, costs the global economy heavily, and aggravates the triple planetary crisis."
According to the U.N., the International Day of Zero Waste promotes responsible production and consumption patterns and encourages a shift towards a lifecycle approach.