Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and Chief Climate Change Negotiator Prof. Dr. Mehmet Emin Birpınar represented Turkey at the UN Environment Assembly held in Nairobi, Kenya.
Birpınar stated that a historic decision was signed at the meeting and that a consensus was reached for the creation of a legally binding international agreement for the effective fight against increasing plastic pollution.
The 5th UN Environment Assembly (UNEA), a decision-making body on global environmental problems within the United Nations Environment Programme, convened in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Representing Turkey in the program, Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and Chief Climate Change Negotiator Prof. Dr. Mehmet Emin Birpinar attended.
A historic decision was signed at the meeting where 175 countries were represented. At the assembly, consensus was reached on the development of a legally binding international agreement to effectively combat the increasing plastic pollution. The decision was applauded by the delegates.
Expressing that an intergovernmental negotiation board will be established in this direction, Prof. Dr. Birpınar announced that the works will be completed in 2024.
Turkey's Recovery Rate Increased by 9 Points in 3 Years
In his speech at the meeting, Birpınar conveyed Turkey's statement on environmental problems to the assembly, and stated that they made a notification to expand the Zero Waste Blue Project all over the world, to charge plastic bags and to limit single-use plastics. Birpınar stated that Turkey has increased its recovery rate by 9 points in 3 years with the Zero Waste project carried out under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's wife Emine Erdoğan. Indicate that they will achieve their emission target with determination.
“We Will Reach The Net Zero Emission Target With Determination”
In his speech, Birpınar referred to the studies carried out in the field of environment in Turkey, and said that with the Zero Waste Project, the recycling rate was increased from 13% to 22% in 3 years, that it would reach 35% in 2023, that the zero waste blue project for marine pollution was implemented and that comprehensive stated that the preparation of a circular economy action plan is continuing. Noting that Turkey was even more willing to do its part in the fight against climate change after the Paris Agreement was ratified, Birpınar said, "We will firmly reach the 2053 net zero emission target announced by our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan." used the phrases.
Birpınar said: “We reduced the use of plastic bags by 65% after the application of fees for plastic bags that we started in 2019. We started our work for the preparation of the national circular economy action plan and focused on the restriction of single-use plastics. We have implemented provincial marine litter action plans for all coastal provinces. In this context, we have collected a total of 130 thousand tons of marine litter from the coast and the sea since 2019. We are also very happy to accept the draft resolution on plastic pollution at UNEA5.2.”
Birpınar met with HABITAT President Sharif
Mehmet Emin Birpınar, Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, held a bilateral meeting with United Nations HABITAT President Maimunah Mohd Sharif within the framework of the Kenya program. During the meeting, urbanism, waste management issues and preparations for the World Urbanism Forum were discussed between Turkey and HABITAT. Consultations were held on the 11th Session of the World Urbanism Forum to be held in Katowice, Poland, and the Waste Wise Cities initiative carried out by the HABITAT Secretariat.
Stating that Turkey has always been a prominent country for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, Birpınar stated that they support the ongoing work on the Global Biodiversity Framework for Post2020 and that they will continue to work as the host country of the UN CBD 16th Conference of the Parties.
The UN Environment Assembly also celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the UN Environment Program, which aims to determine and develop national and international environmental policies.
