The 3rd Sustainable Century Summit, organized under the editorial leadership of InBusiness magazine and hosted by Turkuvaz Media Group, convened business leaders, public institutions, local governments and civil society representatives on Friday to define Türkiye’s green transition priorities, underscoring that sustainability has evolved into a core economic, governance and competitiveness imperative rather than a voluntary commitment.

Speaking at a special session on green urban transformation in Istanbul, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fatma Şahin presented the city’s transition strategy, framing climate action as an unavoidable governance responsibility rather than a discretionary policy choice.

Describing Gaziantep as an OECD Champion City and an internationally recognized Green City, Şahin began by situating the discussion within a global context. "The world is asking the same question everywhere,” she said. "Where are we going, and what are we doing?” She warned that global development has failed to reconcile economic growth with environmental and social sustainability, noting: "We could not turn the economy into ecology. We could not ensure social justice. First, we fought nature; now we are fighting the consequences of what we have done.”

Şahin emphasized that climate change has moved beyond ideology and entered the realm of necessity. "This is no longer a preference. It is an obligation, like eating or sleeping,” she said, adding that water scarcity and environmental degradation will otherwise trigger deeper crises.

Water security, however, remains the most urgent challenge. Şahin said, "Gaziantep is one of Türkiye’s most critical cities in terms of drinking water.” In response, the municipality secured water from distant sources and dramatically increased reuse rates. Today, nearly all treated wastewater is reintegrated into the system.

Şahin also praised the Zero Waste movement led by first lady Emine Erdoğan, describing it as a transformative initiative that embedded sustainability into everyday practice across Türkiye. She said the movement has aligned public institutions, municipalities and citizens around waste reduction and circular economy principles, turning environmental responsibility into a shared social norm.

Global risk warning

Ahmet Dördüncü, chair of the board of U..N Global Compact Türkiye, delivered a clear warning about the global climate trajectory, stressing that uncertainty has become the defining feature of the current era and that environmental risks are now inseparable from economic decision-making.

"We are no longer living in a period of temporary fluctuations,” Dördüncü said. "We are living in an age of permanent uncertainty.” Against this backdrop, he argued that climate change, geopolitical tension, economic fragility and technological disruption are advancing simultaneously, placing unprecedented responsibility on the business world.

Dördüncü emphasized that a sustainable and resilient future cannot be built through isolated actions. "A sustainable, inclusive and resilient future cannot be created by individual actors acting alone,” he said. "It can only be built by a business community that unites around shared principles, takes responsibility and acts together.”

He highlighted Türkiye’s Climate Law and the introduction of an emissions trading system as one of the most significant recent developments, describing them as a structural shift rather than a symbolic step. He also drew attention to the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, noting that from Jan. 1, Turkish exporters will face direct carbon-related costs.

"Green transformation and carbon regulation are no longer trends,” he said. "They are now issues of competitiveness and trade.”

Dördüncü noted that progress in renewable energy has positioned Türkiye relatively well compared to many European countries, pointing to the growing share of solar and wind power. However, he cautioned that climate strategies remain too narrowly focused on carbon alone.

"Companies must look not only at their carbon footprint, but also at their water footprint,” he said, warning that water stress represents one of Türkiye’s most critical vulnerabilities.

He concluded by emphasizing that nature loss is no longer only an environmental concern. "Nature loss is now an economic and social risk,” Dördüncü said, calling on companies to measure and manage their impacts across entire value chains.

Zero Waste leadership

Zero Waste Foundation president Samed Ağırbaş framed the Zero Waste initiative as one of Türkiye’s most consequential environmental transformations, describing it as a movement that has evolved from a national policy into a global sustainability model.

Launched in 2017 under the leadership of first lady Emine Erdoğan, the Zero Waste Project, he said, has become a globally recognized framework now echoed in 193 countries. "Zero waste is the story of a transformation that began in Türkiye and resonated with the world,” Ağırbaş said.

Ağırbaş emphasized that zero waste is fundamentally a social and cultural movement, not merely a technical one. Originating in households and communities, it has been driven largely by women and embraced across generations. "Zero waste is a women-led movement,” he said, noting that it starts at home and extends from children to older generations, turning daily habits into environmental action.

Education, he stressed, has been a cornerstone of this transformation. Zero waste principles have been integrated into schools nationwide through cooperation with the Ministry of National Education, while universities have established Zero Waste student groups.

Türkiye has also taken a global first by establishing a Zero Waste Institute under the auspices of the United Nations at Istanbul Technical University, designed to institutionalize research, training and advanced academic programs, including graduate and doctoral-level studies.

Ağırbaş highlighted the international dimension of the initiative through the Zero Waste Forum, organized for the first time this year. Despite being its inaugural edition, the forum brought together participants from 108 countries and more than 60 ministers, positioning it as the world’s largest global gathering dedicated solely to zero waste. The forum, he said, addressed waste, circular economy, climate, design and consumption in a comprehensive, "360-degree” framework.

He also stressed that zero waste must remain above political divisions, describing environmental protection as a shared responsibility that transcends ideology. "If we are thinking about our children’s future, we must talk about the real issues of this country without political labels,” he said.

Pervin Ersoy, chair of the board of the ATMA Association, described ATMA as a civic initiative built around a simple but transformative message: "Don’t litter.” She said the association aims to make respect for the environment a natural part of everyday life by turning individual behavior into collective responsibility. "Sustainability is a responsibility that begins in daily life,” Ersoy emphasized.

Founded to promote waste reduction and environmental awareness, ATMA works to embed circular economy principles into both consumption habits and production processes. Ersoy highlighted the importance of durable, reusable, repairable and recyclable products, noting that each avoided piece of waste and each efficiently designed product contributes directly to cleaner cities and a more livable future.

The summit concluded with the 3rd Sustainability Leaders Awards, honoring institutions and individuals for their contributions to sustainability. The event was supported by Halkbank, Rams, Türk Telekom, Ziraat Bankası, Borsa Istanbul, Cengiz Holding, Türk Hava Yolları, Vakıf Leasing, Duja Hotels, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, Getir and Trendyol.