The UN General Assembly on Dec. 14 unanimously accepted a resolution on Türkiye's “zero-waste” initiative.
The resolution, which was presented along with 105 other countries, addresses the efforts for sustainable development through zero-waste initiatives launched by the Turkish first lady in 2017.
The resolution requires the UN chief to establish a three-year advisory board of individuals selected based on their “knowledge, experience and expertise” to promote local and national zero-waste initiatives.
It also recommends the continuation of the discussion on zero-waste initiatives while encouraging member states, and other international and regional organizations to implement zero-waste initiatives at all levels.
First Lady Emine Erdogan received the World Bank’s first-ever “Climate and Development Leadership Award” for the pioneering role she has assumed in the fight against climate change.
Between 2017, when the project was launched, and January 2022, 16.5 million tons of paper and cardboard, 4.1 million tons of plastic, 1.7 million tons of glass, 400,000 tons of metals and 1.5 million tons of organic and other wastes have been recycled, Erdoğan said earlier.
The recycling rate in Türkiye was 13 percent when the Zero-Waste Project was initiated, but the rate is presently around 22.4 percent, Erdogan said.