Zero Waste Forum 2026 will be held at Istanbul Atatürk Airport hosted by Turkey. The forum is characterized as the most comprehensive meeting of environmental and climate diplomacy before the 31st Session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31). The event will bring together ministers and senior decision-makers from over 100 countries in the fields of environment, climate, energy, and sustainability, addressing important topics such as circular economy, plastic pollution, climate finance, and sustainable investments.
The forum is planned as a strategic platform where global environmental policies are shaped with the participation of government representatives, international organizations, academia, private sector, and civil society. Participants from more than 150 countries, over 500 corporate stakeholders, and more than 5,000 international guests are expected to attend. Additionally, a special Youth Session will be organized to ensure active participation of young people, where their solution proposals in the fields of zero waste and circular economy will be shared with international stakeholders.
Within the scope of the forum, focus will be on circular economy policies, combating plastic pollution, harmonization of global standards in waste management, climate finance, and green investments. Panels will also be held on various topics such as preventing food waste, organic waste management, reducing methane emissions, zero waste practices in cities, and local government models.
The Zero Waste Movement was initiated in 2017 under the auspices of Emine Erdoğan and quickly transformed into a model that is shown as an example globally beyond being a national environmental policy. Under Turkey's leadership, the United Nations General Assembly declared March 30 as "International Zero Waste Day." The forum is considered an important platform where countries will clarify their positions and strengthen the basis for a joint declaration before COP31.
The Zero Waste Forum aims to create a multi-stakeholder transformation ground by bringing together public institutions, local governments, academia, private sector, financial institutions, and international organizations. Concrete policy proposals will be discussed in the ministerial sessions of the forum, focusing on the integration of the zero waste approach into climate actions.
