Erdoğan Warns Climate Crisis Threatens All Humanity

“The climate issue is a serious problem that threatens all of humanity, just like war and global pandemics,” Erdoğan said at the gala dinner of the Zero Waste Forum in Istanbul.

He said problems ranging from air pollution and food contamination to shortages, waste management and natural disasters were increasingly triggering one another.

Erdoğan said the effects of the crisis were being felt more strongly each year in areas including energy, transport, health, agriculture and livestock.

He argued that the issue should be defined as a climate crisis rather than only climate change, saying a clearer diagnosis would help produce more rational solutions.

“We are living in an era where artificial intelligence and new technologies are accelerating production, while unconscious consumption habits are wearing down nature,” he said.

Erdoğan also criticized what he described as climate injustice, saying the countries most responsible for deepening the crisis were often the least affected by it.

“On one side, millions of people are struggling under harsh conditions to find a piece of bread and a sip of water, while on the other, luxury and waste continue in all their recklessness,” he said.

Citing international data, Erdoğan said millions of children were facing hunger around the world while around one-third of food produced globally was wasted.

He said the scale of waste had become one of the clearest signs of unsustainable consumption.

Erdoğan pointed to the garbage patch in the North Pacific Ocean, which he said covers 1.6 million square kilometers, describing it as a “frightening example” of the global waste problem.

He warned that global solid waste, which stood at 2.1 billion tons in 2023, could rise to 3.8 billion tons by 2050 if no action is taken.

The Zero Waste Forum, held at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport, brought together ministers, mayors, policymakers, academics, civil society groups, private sector representatives and youth organizations.

Erdoğan said the forum’s participation level showed the point Turkey had reached in environmental diplomacy.

He said the event focused not only on theoretical discussions but also on concrete, applicable and measurable solutions, including the circular economy, climate-friendly production models, turning waste into economic value and improving resource efficiency.

The forum was held under the theme “The Road to Antalya: Zero Waste as Climate Action,” ahead of the COP31 climate summit that Turkey will host in Antalya in November.

“The mission undertaken by the forum on the road to COP31 is very valuable,” Erdoğan said.

He said the Zero Waste Movement, launched in 2017 under the leadership of first lady Emine Erdoğan, had turned into a global environmental initiative recognized by the United Nations. 

Erdoğan recalled that March 30 was declared International Day of Zero Waste in 2022 through a U.N. resolution led by Turkey and co-sponsored by 105 countries.

He said Turkey viewed nature both as a trust and as a legacy to be passed on to future generations, adding that the country was taking steps based on green transformation, circular economy and sustainable development.

Erdoğan said the Zero Waste initiative had contributed 365 billion Turkish Liras to the economy.

He said Turkey had recovered 90 million tons of waste, prevented 613 million trees from being cut down and avoided 180 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

The initiative also saved 2 trillion liters of water, 270 billion kilowatt-hours of energy, 60 billion liters of oil and 390 million cubic meters of landfill space, Erdoğan said.

He added that Turkey’s recovery rate had increased from 13 percent in 2017 to 37.53 percent in 2025.

The target is to raise this rate to 60 percent by 2035 and 70 percent by 2053, he said.

Erdoğan expressed hope that the forum’s joint declaration and final outcome document would contribute to new steps in environment and climate policy.