Türkiye offers support for Azerbaijan’s zero waste environmental programme

Türkiye is ready to support Azerbaijan in implementing the Zero Waste environmental initiative, Ömer Bulut, Turkish Deputy Minister of Environment, Urban Development and Climate Change has stated.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), in Baku, Azerbaijan, he said the Zero Waste initiative is being implemented as a flagship project under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Bulut made it clear that the basic principle of zero waste is “crystal clear: the less pollution you produce, the better the environment is preserved.”

He noted that vast resources are currently being spent worldwide on environmental protection, adding that the zero waste concept serves both as a tool to combat excessive consumption and as a means of protecting the planet from plastic and chemical pollution.

Bulut stressed that Türkiye has made significant progress in this area and is already seeing tangible domestic results.

“Azerbaijan needs a similar approach. Azerbaijan possesses a vast sea-even though it's considered a lake in the West, for the Azerbaijani people, it's a full-fledged sea. This unique space, which has preserved its natural pristine nature, should not be polluted,” he explained.

He stressed that preventing pollution is far more effective than dealing with its consequences afterwards.

“Therefore, the mutual exchange of projects and ideas in the area of zero waste will continue. We are ready to facilitate the implementation of this project in Azerbaijan,” the deputy minister added.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov