Newsletters
Türkiye will maintain its constructive role in United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) negotiations on a legally binding agreement to reduce plastic pollution, according to Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Fatma Varank.
Speaking in Geneva during the second part of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee’s fifth session (INC-5.2), she said the country aims to see the talks conclude with a decision.
Varank noted that Türkiye is participating with a strong team from several ministries and permanent missions.
She added that UNEP’s Executive Director Inger Andersen sees Türkiye as a bridge between developing and developed countries, and that they will continue to support the process in that role.
She emphasised the global recognition of Türkiye’s Zero Waste Project, led under the auspices of First Lady Emine Erdogan, which has been adopted by the U.N. as a framework and commemorated with the annual Zero Waste Day on March 30.
Varank said many foreign officials were already familiar with the project and Türkiye’s efforts on single-use plastics, marine litter, and microplastics.
Türkiye has published a national roadmap for tackling single-use plastics, marine litter, and microplastics, setting out short, medium, and long-term steps.
Varank said this plan will be implemented with coordination among all relevant ministries, adding, “Inshallah, we are a candidate to be a leading country on plastics.”
On the sidelines of the meeting, Türkiye held talks with officials from Iraq, Syria, Brazil, and South Korea, agreeing to pursue joint work and memorandums of understanding on plastics and related environmental issues.
2 min read
