President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated at the Zero Waste Forum gala dinner that the climate crisis is a serious issue threatening all of humanity, similar to war and the global pandemic. Erdoğan emphasized that the countries most responsible for deepening the climate crisis are also among those least affected by it.
He noted that we are living in a period where artificial intelligence and new technologies accelerate production, while unconscious consumption habits further damage nature. In response to this situation, Erdoğan said the Zero Waste Movement has transformed into a global environmental mobilization recognized not only in Turkey but also by the United Nations.
Achievements from Zero Waste
Erdoğan announced that projects and implementations under the Zero Waste Movement have contributed a total of 365 billion lira to the economy. He also highlighted savings of 2 trillion liters of water, 270 billion kilowatt-hours of energy, 60 billion liters of oil, and 390 million cubic meters of waste storage space.
Addressing the recycling rate, Erdoğan said it was 13% in 2017 and rose to 37.53% in 2025. The goal is to reach 60% by 2035 and 70% by 2053.
Message on the Environment
The speech emphasized that the climate crisis is not only an environmental issue but has also become a global problem with economic and humanitarian dimensions. Erdoğan’s remarks highlighted the importance of the Zero Waste approach for both resource conservation and sustainable production.
The gala dinner speech brought Turkey’s goals in waste management and recycling back into focus. It was stated that current achievements are planned to be transformed into higher recycling rates.
