Recent engagements of the Zero Waste Foundation ahead of COP31 set for November 9-20, have emphasized practical implementation and stronger roles for local governments and civil society.
The Foundation advanced local environmental action in Türkiye, completing a workshop and co-organizing a marine cleanup event in İstanbul, as Türkiye prepares to host COP31 in Antalya. he initiatives paired basin-wide planning and institutional cooperation with hands-on action against plastic pollution in the Bosphorus.
“Protecting natural resources becomes credible when plans are matched by cooperation and practical work,” said Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion. “Lake Van and the Bosphorus both show why shared responsibility matters. Our COP31 work should stay connected to what happens on the ground, where institutions and communities turn environmental responsibility into action.”
Lake Van moves into a new planning phase
Lake Van is Türkiye’s largest lake and one of the world’s largest soda lakes. The two-day Lake Van Basin Sustainable Future Workshop brought together 325 participants, including representatives from 14 ministries, 40 general directorates, universities, local governments, research institutions, civil society organizations and the private sector.
The Zero Waste Foundation organized the workshop with the Van and Bitlis Governor’s Offices, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Bitlis Eren University, and the provincial directorates of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change in both provinces.
The workshop builds on the Lake Van Basin Protection Action Plan, which began in 2020 under H.E. Emine Erdoğan, Founder of the Zero Waste Movement, Chair of the UN High-Level Advisory Board on Zero Waste and Honorary President of the Zero Waste Foundation.
Call for a stronger basin management model
Workshop participants assessed climate, water and ecosystems, spatial planning and quality of life, economic development and cultural values, and governance and future vision.
The final declaration proposed recommendations spanning basin governance, digital transformation, environment, infrastructure, tourism, agriculture and development. It also called for a stronger basin management model, integrated planning and data-based monitoring.
A final report is intended to support the Lake Van Basin 2050 Vision, and guide an implementable roadmap for the basin’s future.
Plastic-Free July brings action to the Bosphorus
On July 14, the Foundation held the “Leave a Mark on the Future – Plastic-Free July Gathering” on the coastal road in Üsküdar, İstanbul in partnership with the Turkish Special Athletes Sports Federation, the Turkish Underwater Sports Federation and the Turkish Youth Foundation.
Divers retrieved plastic waste from the seabed. Special athletes received the recovered waste and carried it ashore, giving them an active role in the cleanup and in the event’s environmental awareness work.
The gathering emphasized that protecting the seas is a shared responsibility across society. It also brought environmental awareness and social inclusion together through participation by young people, special athletes, underwater sports athletes, citizens and partner organizations.