Zero Waste will constitute one of Turkey's 10 priority Action Agenda topics and one of the implementation targets it presents to the world for 2035 at the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) of the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the world's most important organization in the fight against climate change. Zero Waste will add experience to every point of the COP31 Area. The Zero Waste approach, which will be one of the main topics in the negotiations, will not only be a program title at COP31, but also the way the organization operates.
ZERO WASTE WILL BE USED AT EVERY POINT OF THE GREEN AND BLUE ZONE
The five-leaf and 10 thousand square meter Time Tunnel in the Blue Zone, where world leaders will discuss the future of the climate, was organized as a Zero Waste Museum by the Zero Waste Foundation. In the Green Zone, through the Zero Waste Application and Workshop Center, practical information on waste reduction, separation, reuse and circular economy processes will be provided, especially to children and young people. This approach will also be carried beyond the conference area. Solak Village, Demirciler Village and Ormana Village will be among the Zero Waste application areas within the scope of the 'Zero Waste Village' approach. Murat Kurum, President of COP31 and Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, shared on his social media account about Solak Village, "It is a village like a flower. In the Zero Waste Village, everything transforms for the future, becomes friendly to nature, increases labor and hope. Those who come to Antalya for COP31, do not leave without seeing Solak Village."
NATIONAL CLIMATE SHOWCASE AT COP31: Türkiye PAVILION
The 2 thousand square meter Türkiye Pavilion was designed as a national showcase presenting Turkey's climate policies, Zero Waste vision, energy transformation and sustainable urbanism practices to the international public. With the Türkiye Pavilion, not only explaining policies and goals; It is aimed to show the world the applications, technologies and solution models implemented in different cities and sectors of Turkey.
“COP WAS A BLESSING FOR US, THEY MADE OUR VILLAGE LIKE A FLOWER”
The residents of Solak Village are overjoyed to be declared a Zero Waste village. Emine Bulut, who established a wood workshop in the village, said, "Everything from A to Z has been thought of and everything has been wonderful. Waste traps have been set up. Most of the time, what I cannot throw away is paper. I cannot tear such paper and throw it away. In that sense, it is a very good idea. You should be here for our future, you should see this place. I invite you all here to leave a beautiful world to our future and our children. I invite you to support the Zero Waste Project." Mehmet Çom, who runs a coffee shop in the village, said, "COP is a great blessing for us. It has become a village like a flower. They made our village like a flower."
“COP31 SET AN EXAMPLE FOR US, AND WE WILL TRY TO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR Türkiye”
Headman of Solak Village, Ümit Karataş, noted that there have been great changes since the compost machine was installed and said, "We are now evaluating our food waste. We collect it and give it to the compost machine. The people have started to become aware. We actually did not expect such a thing. Our village people are really happy, too. They are planning themselves according to Zero Attack. Even garbage will not come out of the village like before. We, as adults, have become conscious, we want to teach what we have learned to our children and leave a cleaner, more beautiful generation." he said. Volkan Uzun also said, "We have now become a village that Türkiye recognizes. In other words, with COP31, it has attracted at least as much attention in our village as COP31. COP31 has become an example for us. Hopefully, we will try to be an example for the whole of Türkiye with COP31's Zero Waste Project."
Gökhan Burhan, branch manager at the Zero Waste Management Department, explained what was done in Solak Village and said, "Solak Zero Waste Village is not just a village living within the scope of COP31. We tried to build it as a village that continues after the conference, can be an example to our other regions, and can be an example to the world."
