Zero Waste Foundation Links New York Climate Talks to COP31 Action, Backs Green Industrialisation Drive for Poorest Nations

The Zero Waste Foundation (Sıfır Atık Vakfı) has tied its New York climate diplomacy directly to COP31 in Antalya, joining Türkiye’s new mechanism to support green industrialisation in the world’s Least Developed Countries — with a formal launch expected at the November summit, according to an announcement issued by the foundation on 12 October.

From New York to Antalya

Türkiye used Climate Week NYC and engagements around the 81st session of the UN General Assembly to connect its zero waste approach, COP31 preparations and a new green industrialisation mechanism for Least Developed Countries. The foundation participated as a principal partner of Climate Week NYC and as a partner in the dialogue on the new mechanism, presenting implementation, technology transfer and access to finance as central themes ahead of COP31.

The week was opened by H.E. Emine Erdoğan, founder of the Zero Waste Movement, chair of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Zero Waste and honorary president of the Zero Waste Foundation. According to the announcement, she told the Climate Week NYC opening event on 21 September that the zero waste approach extends far beyond waste management and requires production and consumption patterns to be reconsidered. She placed individual choices alongside broader systems, infrastructure and international cooperation, describing zero waste as an approach that can move people from passive observation toward participation in climate solutions, while stressing the responsibilities of governments and companies. She linked the approach to resource efficiency, circular production and more durable, repairable and reusable products. The movement began in Türkiye in 2017 and has since expanded across public institutions, municipalities, schools, hospitals and households.

The LDC-GIF mechanism

The Least Developed Countries Green Industrialisation Facilitation Mechanism (LDC-GIF) was introduced during a high-level dialogue at UN headquarters in New York, on the margins of the General Assembly and Climate Week NYC. Developed by Türkiye, it aims to support green industrialisation in Least Developed Countries by facilitating access to green technologies, technical expertise, project development support and financing.

The meeting was chaired by H.E. Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Türkiye’s Minister of Industry and Technology. Participants included H.E. Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change; Samed Ağırbaş, president of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 Climate High-Level Champion; Rabab Fatima, UN Under-Secretary-General and OHRLLS High Representative; and Roland Mollerus, managing director of the UN Technology Bank.

According to the announcement, the mechanism is being developed as a facilitative platform rather than a new parallel financing architecture: it is designed to connect country needs and project pipelines with existing technologies, technical expertise and financing resources. Zero waste, circular economy and resource efficiency are among the areas being advanced in the implementation-focused agenda, with a formal launch expected during COP31 in Antalya.

Why it matters

The announcement places zero waste at the heart of Türkiye’s pitch for COP31 as an “implementation COP”: rather than another round of pledges, the presidency wants the Antalya summit to produce measurable, implementable and bankable actions, with green industrialisation for the poorest nations as a flagship delivery item. For the Zero Waste Foundation, founded to scale the movement beyond Türkiye’s borders, the LDC-GIF partnership offers a multilateral channel to export its zero waste model to the countries least equipped — and most in need — of circular solutions.

Readers can follow Watan News International’s continuing zero waste and COP31 coverage as the Antalya summit approaches.

FAKTA

• Who: The Zero Waste Foundation, founded by H.E. Emine Erdoğan; Türkiye’s government; UN agencies.
• What: A new Least Developed Countries Green Industrialisation Facilitation Mechanism (LDC-GIF), with the Zero Waste Foundation as a partner.
• When: Introduced in New York on the margins of the 81st UN General Assembly; formal launch expected at COP31 in Antalya (9–20 November 2026).
• Why: To give Least Developed Countries access to green technologies, expertise, project development support and financing.
• Context: The announcement, issued on 12 October, links Climate Week NYC engagements directly to COP31 action.