Türkiye on Monday joined the global celebration of World Environment Day, emphasizing the importance of environmental awareness and nature conservation.

50th Anniversary with a Focus on Plastic Pollution

This year’s jubilee 50th anniversary of World Environment Day will be hosted by Côte D’Ivoire, with the theme of “solutions to plastic pollution.”

The Impact of Plastic Waste

According to estimates by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), approximately 460 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year, 353 million tons of which end up as waste.

First Lady Emphasizes the Importance of Nature Conservation

“There is only one thing that water, soil, air and all living things want to tell humanity: Don’t consume nature, don’t destroy it, let it live!” first lady Emine Erdoğan said on Twitter.

“First of all, in order to live, we need to keep it (nature) alive. We must restore a balanced, measured and harmonious relationship with nature, our source of healing,” she added.

The Zero Waste Project

Erdoğan said there is still the opportunity to leave a livable world to future generations by spreading the transformation that started with the Zero Waste Project.

In 2017, under the auspices of the first lady, Türkiye launched the Zero Waste Project to highlight the importance of eliminating waste in fighting the climate crisis.

The project has drawn international praise, with U.N. chief Antonio Guterres expressing his gratitude to Türkiye’s first lady during a conference in New York last September.

Last December, the U.N. General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on the Zero Waste Project presented by Türkiye, declaring March 30 as the International Day of Zero Waste.

Protecting the Environment

“I sincerely believe that every life changed by the love of nature will be a vital part of the solution,” Erdoğan said.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry tweeted: “Happy #WorldEnvironmentDay and #TürkiyeEnvironmentWeek! Let’s protect our seas and forests for a ‘Clean Sea, Clean World’ and combat climate change together.”

Separately, the National Defense Ministry said Türkiye cares about the fight against climate change and continues its struggle with zero waste to protect the natural environment and create sustainable living environments.

Activities Across Türkiye

Nationwide activities, including forest walks, sea, lake and gulf cleaning, cycling and waste collection, took place across Türkiye to mark World Environment Day and Environment Week, which was declared to take place between June 5-9 this year.

As part of the events held in eastern Van province, a wreath of respect was laid in Lake Van in memory of those who lost their lives in the devastating earthquakes that struck vast swathes of the country’s southeastern region early in February.

Divers in the northern coastal area of Trabzon and western Izmir set on the seabed cleaning missions within the scope of activities for World Environment Day.

The Importance of Zero Waste Initiatives

During his speech in Trabzon, the provincial director of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Uğur Korkmaz, recalled that Environment Week was declared through the Presidential circular last year.

Pointing to the number of factors that lead to air, water and soil pollution, starting from rapid population growth, industrialization, urbanization and waste disposal, Korkmaz highlighted the importance of zero waste initiatives in terms of reducing waste, exuding recycling efforts and protecting the environment along with its contributions to country’s economy.

Promoting Progress on Sustainable Development Goals

World Environment Day, held annually since 1973, has also become a vital platform for promoting progress on the environmental dimensions of sustainable development goals.