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Minister Kurum: Aiming to Increase Recycling Rate to 60%

November 4, 20242 Mins Read

Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Murat Kurum stated, “Thanks to the National Deposit Management System we have implemented, we aim to increase the recycling rate in our country to 60% by 2035.”

Speaking at the Climate Change and Adaptation Coordination Board Meeting held at a hotel in the capital, Minister Kurum highlighted how the global climate crisis has transformed all production and consumption chains, with the frequency and impacts of disasters such as floods, fires, desertification, and droughts increasing every day. He noted the rising trend of climate migration, stating that people are being forced to abandon their living spaces, while accessing clean water and food is becoming increasingly challenging. Providing insights into the staggering annual production of 2.1 billion tons of solid waste worldwide, Kurum emphasized, “Every year, 8 million tons of waste end up in the oceans. Currently, one-third of the food produced globally, which amounts to 1.3 billion tons, is wasted, costing over 1 trillion dollars. In the past 50 years, there have been more than 11,000 disasters related to air, climate, and water, resulting in over 2 million fatalities and economic losses exceeding 3.64 trillion dollars.”

Addressing the severe consequences of natural disasters in Turkey in recent years, Kurum stressed the need to transition to a circular economy model focused on sustainable and green development in response to the observed challenges. Referring to Turkey’s significant steps in this regard, he continued, “Aligned with the 2053 Net Zero Emission and Green Development Goals, we are progressing with a climate-friendly and green transformation-centered approach. Considering our nation as the transforming and influential power within the changing world, we are prioritizing our own goals while fulfilling our international obligations.”

Underlining Turkey’s ongoing efforts to achieve the aforementioned objectives, Kurum expressed, “We have completed the necessary preparations to access the digital transformation and green finance mechanisms outlined in the Medium-Term Program. We have founded our efforts on two main pillars, with a vision for smart cities in digital transformation and initiatives in the fields of environment and climate change for green transformation.”

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