Two events in Istanbul in June 2026 put the zero waste agenda at the centre of Türkiye’s preparations for COP31, connecting policy work, delivery planning and public participation in one city.
The Zero Waste Foundation organised Zero Waste Forum 2026 at Atatürk Airport in Istanbul from 5 to 7 June 2026. The forum ran under the theme “Road to Antalya: Zero Waste as Climate Action” and brought governments, cities, international organisations, experts and stakeholders together. It focused on building implementation readiness for COP31 through announcements, partnership building and practical action, rather than formal negotiations.
“Zero waste is a practical climate action agenda focused on waste prevention, systems transformation and implementation capacity,” said Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion who is working under the vision of 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.
“Zero Waste Forum 2026 provided the policy, diplomacy and delivery platform for the Road to Antalya, while the Zero Waste Festival gave that agenda public visibility, awareness and public ownership. Together, they showed how COP31 can connect high-level ambition with practical action, from governments and cities to citizens and communities.”
A high-level rehearsal for Antalya
Zero Waste Forum 2026 was one of the largest and most significant gatherings in global environmental diplomacy. It welcomed more than 120 ministers from 183 countries, hundreds of mayors and over 5,000 participants, making it the largest rehearsal ahead of COP31 in Antalya for the Zero Waste Movement. The forum helped accelerate coordination, strengthen partnerships and increase readiness for implementation. It also acted as an institutional bridge between the Foundation’s multi-stakeholder platform and the COP31 implementation agenda, supporting COP31-aligned initiatives and translating stakeholder priorities into implementation pathways.Practical action across systems
The three-day programme featured 247 speakers and remained broad, cross-sectoral and systems-focused. It included a thematic focus on food waste and methane action as a strategic climate priority, covering food waste prevention and recovery across production, logistics, retail and hospitality, organic waste management, methane reduction, city-level implementation, scalable solutions and evidence-based guidance. Three High-Level Ministerial Sessions were also held on industry and technology, agriculture and forestry, and energy and natural resources, reinforcing sector-specific leadership on the Road to Antalya. The forum’s outputs included the Road to Antalya Declaration, the City Action Commitments Package, the Food Waste and Methane Action Guide, and the Partnership and Project Pipeline.Public engagement for the zero waste agenda
Zero Waste Forum 2026 was the central event of Zero Waste Week, organised by the Governorship of Istanbul in cooperation with the Zero Waste Foundation from June 1-7, 2026. The concurrent Zero Waste Festival, also held in Istanbul, was one of Europe’s largest environmental events, welcoming more than 1 million visitors. Through environmental awareness, sustainable living, culture, arts, technology, exhibitions, workshops and interactive experiences, the festival connected broad public audiences with the zero waste agenda. Together, the forum and festival positioned Istanbul as a global platform for zero waste platform and action.On the road to COP31
Ahead of COP31, the forum and festival strengthened Türkiye’s road to Antalya by linking diplomacy, implementation, awareness and social ownership. The forum served as the policy, diplomacy and implementation pillar, while the festival provided the public engagement platform, with COP31 as the strategic framework connecting both.Contact:
Ahmet Musa Bala basin@sifiratikvakfi.org