Enviro News Asia, Bonn – Türkiye’s vision for COP31, its zero waste approach, and its implementation-oriented climate action agenda were brought to the international stage during the Bonn Climate Change Conference, as the country advances preparations for the upcoming summit it will host in Antalya.
Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, represented Türkiye’s priorities across a range of topics spanning climate finance, the circular economy, the role of cities in climate action, and multilateral collaboration, through a series of intensive engagements held throughout the conference.
The Bonn conference, organized as part of COP31 preparations, brought together key actors in global climate diplomacy to discuss the priorities and implementation agenda of the COP31 process.
Zero Waste Forum’s Role in the Global Climate Agenda
Among the topics raised in Bonn was the contribution of the Zero Waste Forum, held in Istanbul, to the COP31 process. The forum brought together more than 5,000 participants from 183 countries, establishing a strong foundation for global collaboration in zero waste, circular economy, resource efficiency, sustainable cities, and human-centered climate solutions. Proposals developed and partnerships formed at the forum are expected to feed into implementation-oriented climate policies ahead of COP31.
Reflecting on his engagements in Bonn, Ağırbaş said Türkiye’s COP31 vision and the Zero Waste Movement, growing under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, were shared extensively with international stakeholders.
“In Bonn, where we came for the June meetings organized by the UN, we evaluated the road to COP31. We explained Türkiye’s vision to the world in meetings led by our Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and simultaneously our COP31 President, Murat Kurum. While evaluating the Zero Waste Forum on one hand, we also discussed COP31 preparations with our stakeholders on the other,” Ağırbaş said.
Climate Finance and the Needs of Vulnerable Nations
Climate finance, just transition, and the needs of vulnerable countries featured prominently in Bonn, with Ağırbaş holding meetings with the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), the G77 and China Negotiating Group, the Least Developed Countries Group (LDC), and other regional groups. The discussions centered on supporting countries most affected by the climate crisis, strengthening accessible and equitable financing mechanisms, and developing joint approaches for the COP31 process.
Ağırbaş stressed that the needs of vulnerable geographies must be placed more firmly on the COP31 agenda and that climate solidarity must be translated into concrete steps.
COP31 Agenda Reviewed with UNFCCC and International Partners
In a meeting with UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, Ağırbaş discussed the future of multilateral climate diplomacy within the COP31 framework, covering emission reductions, climate finance, and priority areas for joint action. Separately, meetings with the European Union delegation explored potential collaboration in circular economy, environmental policy, and climate diplomacy.
Cities and Youth as Climate Action Drivers
Participating in the Daring Cities event organized by the Local Governments for Sustainability Network (ICLEI), Ağırbaş underscored the decisive role of local governments in achieving climate goals, noting that transformations beginning at the local level directly contribute to global climate objectives. Meetings with youth climate representatives addressed the effective participation of young people in decision-making processes and the strengthening of their pioneering role in climate action.
The engagements in Bonn demonstrated that Türkiye’s implementation-oriented climate vision for COP31 has resonated in the international arena. The Zero Waste Foundation continues to advance global collaboration among public institutions, the private sector, local governments, international organizations, and civil society in pursuit of a more livable, equitable, and sustainable future. (*)
