Global Zero Waste Forum in Istanbul Sets Stage for COP31 Action
The Global Zero Waste Forum convened in Istanbul from June 5 to 7, 2026 with participation from over 500 partners across governments, UN agencies, cities, businesses and civil society, including more than 100 ministers, to advance zero-waste solutions as a core pillar of climate action. The forum also served as a pre-COP31 platform to mobilise finance and investment in waste reduction.
The forum's central theme — zero waste for climate action — focused on the role of waste reduction in cutting greenhouse gas emissions from landfills and open burning, which are significant and often under-reported sources in national inventories. India was represented at ministerial level by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Organisers positioned the event as a launchpad for practical zero-waste pathways and for mobilising investment commitments ahead of COP31 in Türkiye.
For India, the forum carries particular relevance given the country's evolving waste governance landscape. India generates large volumes of municipal solid waste and has been implementing the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, with mixed results. The Supreme Court's May 2026 push for stricter SWM enforcement and the new Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 have placed waste governance back at the centre of the policy agenda. International forums like this provide a platform for India to access finance, technology and best practices from jurisdictions that have achieved higher diversion rates.
The forum's outputs are expected to feed into COP31 negotiations on the role of waste reduction in national climate commitments. Zero waste advocates argue that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has consistently underscored waste as a cost-effective mitigation lever, yet national climate plans globally underinvest in waste sector interventions relative to their mitigation potential. India's participation signals intent to integrate waste management more centrally into its next Nationally Determined Contribution.
Key figure — Over 500 partners and more than 100 ministers attended
This content is AI-assisted and reviewed by the ESG Broadcast editorial team. It is for informational purposes only and is not investment or ESG-rating advice. See our Technology & Transparency policy.
← Back to ESG Broadcast