Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,

Mr. Dennis Francis,

At the Commemoration of the International Day of Zero Waste

[As Delivered]

27 March 2024

 

Your Excellency, Sedat Önal, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Türkiye to the United Nations,

Ms. Ligia Noronha, Head of UNEP New York Office,

Ms. Mr. Michal Mlynár, Acting Executive Director of UN-Habitat,

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Let me begin by commending the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Türkiye, the United Nations Environment Programme, and UN-Habitat for co-organizing today’s event – marking the International Day of Zero Waste.

 

We are all deeply appreciative of your ongoing efforts to promote zero-waste initiatives – contributing to advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

 

I think it more than appropriate to pay tribute to the distinguished First Lady of the Republic of Türkiye, Ms. Emine Erdoğan, the protagonist and initiator of the Zero Waste project in her own country.

 

It was the astounding success of this that motivated the General Assembly to the adoption of a resolution tabled by the Republic of Türkiye – declaring 30 March as the International Day of Zero Waste.

 

Excellencies,

 

The numbers and trends speak for themselves in describing the situation as nothing short of harrowing:

 

2.24 billion tons of municipal solid waste are generated annually,
around 931 million tons of food is lost or wasted each year,
up to 14 million tons of plastic waste enters aquatic ecosystems,
and food loss and waste accounts for up to 10 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions – significantly contributing to the climate crisis. 

Without urgent action, it is projected that annual municipal solid waste generation will hit 3.8 billion tons by 2050.

 

Moreover – if we cling to the business-as-usual mentality – we will have more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050.

 

Excellencies,

 

Today – as we commemorate this important day – we urgently need to pause and rethink the unsustainable linear development model of “take, make and dispose” we have been so actively pursuing. 

 

It is high time we replace that model with sustainable practices of production and consumption to minimize our ecological footprint – including adopting a circular approach that promotes a resource efficiency model of reduce, reuse and recycle.

 

To achieve this, we must shift our perspective and accelerate our efforts to develop and implement zero-waste initiatives to foster the environmentally sound management of waste; the minimization of waste; and – where feasible – the total prevention of waste.

 

Such a societal shift should not be a burden. Rather, it should be seen as an opportunity not only to mitigate environmental harm but also to foster innovation, create green jobs, and promote social inclusion.

 

It should also be viewed as an opportunity to invest in sustainable infrastructure, prioritize eco-friendly technologies, and empower communities to become true stewards of their own environment.

 

Allow me to also reiterate the commitments made by the world leaders in the 2023 SDG Summit political declaration – which acknowledged the serious threats posed by plastic, air, and chemical pollution, and expressed firm support for an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.

 

I am also deeply grateful to share this moment with a youth representative.

 

The youth are the changemakers. Their perspectives and actions are absolutely critical in our efforts to reach zero waste – and they deserve a say on such matters that have a lifechanging impact on their future.

 

Meeting our zero waste objectives and targets requires a comprehensive multi-stakeholders approach, at all levels – from grassroots initiatives to national policies, from corporate boardrooms to international fora.

 

Our approach must also square the circle to encompass policy alignment, knowledge sharing, capacity-building, resource mobilization, and technology transfer.

 

Importantly – and in the true spirit of leaving no one behind – our commitment and indeed our transition to Zero Waste must be beneficial to all, especially countries in special situations.

 

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Let me close by reiterating that our commemoration today is rooted in a robust commitment to pursue and attain sustainability within the framework of the 2030 Agenda – through, among other things, converting to sustainable patterns of production and consumption.

 

To this end, sustainability remains one of the core priorities of my Presidency – the full manifestation of which will be rolled out during the inaugural Sustainability Week I will be convening from 15 to 19 April.

 

I envision that this Week of back-to-back high-level engagements will spark in-depth discussions on transport, tourism, energy, infrastructure, and debt sustainability and socio-economic equality – propelling substantial progress in these key sectors of the economy.

 

I further expect that Zero Waste initiatives – with their cross-cutting relevance across these sectors – will feature prominently in the discussions.

 

Furthermore, it is my sincere hope that the harvest from this Week will both inform the deliberations of the Summit of the Future and accelerate momentum towards attaining all the SDGs.

 

The journey towards Zero Waste does not by any means involve a simple unplanned destination – but rather, a continuous process of learning, adaptation and innovation.

 

As the President of the General Assembly, I will play my part – and I call upon us all to harness the power of collective action and solidarity to turn the tide on waste.

 

I wish you all a fruitful discussion.

 

I thank you.