First lady calls for joint global action on climate crisis

Effective and concrete steps are needed at the global level to fight the climate crisis, Turkish first lady Emine Erdoğan said on Jan. 17 and called on foreign envoys in Ankara to act together in this bid.

"Today, if we do not take effective and concrete steps at the global level, unfortunately, there will be no living space on which we can establish peace and justice," Erdoğan said, addressing the "Zero Waste for the World, Our Common Home" event.

The climate crisis poses a "life-and-death" threat not only for nature but for each person, Erdoğan said.

The Zero-Waste Project, carried out by Emine Erdoğan in a bid to reduce the volume of non-recyclable waste, has completed its five years.

Erdoğan reminded that the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 14 unanimously accepted a resolution regarding the project presented by Türkiye, declaring March 30 as International Zero-Waste Day.

Accordingly, the U.N. will set up an advisory board committee comprising experts selected based on their knowledge, experience and expertise to introduce zero waste initiatives on a national scale and worldwide.

In the age of uncertainty that the world is going through, the U.N. has more role to play than ever before, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said at the event.

"We are now working on the establishment of a U.N. meeting and Advisory Board to be addressed by first lady Emine Erdoğan. We will also discuss the issue of zero-waste at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, the new center of attraction for global diplomacy," the minister said.

The project has helped to recycle more than 30 million tons of waste, and saved 347 million trees from destruction, said Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum.