Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation of Türkiye and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, is leading a series of high-level engagements in Washington DC from 13–16 April during the IMF | World Bank Spring Meetings.
Through these engagements, he aims to position COP31 Türkiye as an “implementation event” by aligning climate action with the international financial system, while mobilizing partnerships to turn commitments into tangible, scalable action.
“We have initiated our engagement in Washington with the World Bank, one of our main stakeholders,” stated Samed Ağırbaş. “Our core goal is to build an inclusive COP process that brings civil society and all voices to the climate table. Through these critical engagements, we are determined to deliver COP31 in Antalya at the highest standards and with maximum impact.”
Ağırbaş’s leadership underscores Türkiye’s ambition to elevate COP31 Türkiye as a platform where implementation pathways are defined, financed and delivered, and bridges the gap between policy and impact. Through engagements aligned with the IMF | World Bank Spring Meetings, Türkiye is advancing a model that prioritizes execution, ensuring that climate pledges result in real-world transformation.
Climate finance that reaches people and creates jobs
A central theme of the Washington engagements is reshaping climate finance into a tool that directly benefits communities. Ağırbaş is advocating for a model where financial flows extend beyond commitments and into local economies creating jobs, supporting resilience, and driving inclusive growth.
“Climate resilience is no longer only an environmental priority, it is a core macroeconomic safeguard and a powerful engine for job creation,” he emphasized.
High-level meetings with the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and multilateral development banks are focused on unlocking financing mechanisms that prioritize bankable, scalable projects.
“Climate finance must not remain abstract or centralized. It must reach the ground and support vulnerable communities, strengthen local economies, and enable sustainable development that people can see and feel,” he commented.
Zero waste and circular economy as climate solutions
The Zero Waste Foundation plays a pivotal role in linking climate action with resource efficiency and economic transformation. Ağırbaş is positioning zero waste not only as an environmental approach, but as a macroeconomic transformation tool, noting that Türkiye’s climate diplomacy is reinforced by the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, while the Zero Waste vision led by H.E. Emine Erdoğan, and supported by the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of Türkiye, Murat Kurum, remains a key reference for COP31.
“Zero Waste has become a global call for shared responsibility,” Ağırbaş stated, emphasizing that its consistent advancement has enabled resource efficiency and circular economy to gain traction within international financial circles.
Discussions in Washington highlight how waste management, food loss reduction, and resource efficiency can be integrated into climate finance strategies, with circular economy models driving both environmental and economic outcomes.
Strengthening resilience through adaptation and local impact
Beyond mitigation, Ağırbaş’s agenda places strong emphasis on adaptation and resilience, particularly in water systems, food security, and urban infrastructure, all critical for communities most vulnerable to climate impacts and key priorities for COP31.
Engagements with global partners are exploring how resilience financing can be scaled, ensuring that investments support not only infrastructure but also social systems. The focus is on delivering local impact to protect livelihoods, strengthen food systems, and enhance urban resilience.
This approach reflects a shift toward people-centered climate policy, positioning adaptation as a core pillar of Global Climate Action.
Expanding partnerships across blue economy and global stakeholders
Ağırbaş’s Washington program includes extensive engagement with the World Economic Forum, private sector leaders, and bilateral partners from Australia, Africa, and Asia to build a truly global coalition around COP31.
Discussions highlight the role of the blue economy, including investments in coastal ecosystems and mangroves, as high-impact opportunities that combine environmental protection with economic benefits for local communities.
He also met with senior officials, including Australia’s Department of Climate Change and UN Special Envoy Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, as well as international finance and development institutions, focusing on climate finance, economic growth, and sustainable development.
“More than 3 billion people depend on oceans, with over 600 million livelihoods and 100 million jobs linked to ocean-based sectors. Mangroves are critical nature-based solutions for climate resilience and biodiversity,” he noted.
Across all meetings, the common objective is to mobilize finance, strengthen partnerships, and develop bankable project pipelines at scale. By aligning public, private, and multilateral actors, Türkiye is is advancing a collaborative model to deliver tangible results at COP31.
Toward COP31 Antalya: From commitments to real change
Ağırbaş emphasized the need to translate climate finance commitments into real investment and implementation, highlighting the importance of scaling adaptation finance, de-risking mechanisms, and bankable projects to close the climate finance gap.
He underscored the shift from a decade of negotiations to an implementation era under the Global Climate Action Agenda. “Together with my colleague Dan Ioschpe, we are focused on scaling practical solutions that improve people’s daily lives,” he said.
Reaffirming his role as COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, he stressed the importance of turning dialogue into action: “We aim to translate these engagements into bankable climate projects. We need your projects, your capital, and your expertise.”