Antalya, The Europe Today: Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva attended the “Global Zero Waste Alliance – High-Level Meeting of Spouses of Heads of State and Government” on November 11, held as part of the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.
The Global Zero Waste Alliance meeting brought together spouses of world leaders and senior representatives to discuss practical ways of addressing the climate crisis through sustainable waste management and international cooperation.
Focus on Concrete Climate Action
Discussions centred on concrete action mechanisms for combating the climate crisis, the promotion of zero waste policies and the international exchange of expertise in waste management. Participants also addressed the development of joint environmental projects among countries and the expansion of successful local initiatives to the global level.
Emine Erdoğan Outlines Vision of the Alliance
Addressing the event, First Lady of the Republic of Türkiye Emine Erdoğan emphasised that the Global Zero Waste Alliance aims to create a strong platform for cooperation, enabling countries to share successful experiences, develop joint projects and promote local solutions worldwide.
Emine Erdoğan has long championed the zero waste agenda, having launched Türkiye’s national Zero Waste project in 2017. The initiative later gained international recognition when the UN General Assembly, at Türkiye’s initiative, proclaimed March 30 as the International Day of Zero Waste.
Azerbaijan’s Engagement on Environmental Issues
Leyla Aliyeva’s participation reflects Azerbaijan’s continued engagement in global environmental and climate initiatives. As Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, she has been actively involved in environmental awareness and ecological projects, and her attendance at the Antalya meeting further underlines the close cooperation between Azerbaijan and Türkiye on shared global challenges.
Her presence at COP31 follows Azerbaijan’s own role in international climate diplomacy as host of COP29 in Baku in 2024.
Zero Waste on the COP31 Agenda
The high-level meeting formed part of a broader programme of events at COP31 in Antalya, where world leaders, international organisations and civil society are working to translate climate commitments into practical action. The zero waste approach, which focuses on reducing, reusing and recycling resources, is increasingly seen as an important contributor to lowering emissions and building more sustainable economies.
