Introduction

During an official visit to the United States, First Lady Emine Erdoğan of Türkiye held a high-level meeting at Columbia University with Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute, to exchange views on global waste management models and best practices.

The meeting marked an important moment of dialogue between Türkiye’s emerging Zero Waste vision and one of the world’s leading academic centers for sustainable development.
Official source: https://www.tccb.gov.tr/en/news/542/98830/first-lady-erdogan-meets-with-professor-sachs-the-director-of-the-earth-institute-at-columbia-university

A High-Level Exchange at the Earth Institute

Hosted at the Earth Institute of Columbia University, the discussion focused on innovative waste management systems, circular economy principles, and international experiences in reducing landfill dependency.

Professor Sachs, a globally recognized advisor on sustainable development, provided insights into successful waste management models implemented across different regions of the world.

The meeting also gathered key academic and government figures, including:

• Professor Nickolas J. Themelis, founder of the Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council (WtERT) and Earth Engineering Center at Columbia
• Professor Patricia Culligan, expert in urban sustainability
• Professor Mehmet Emin Birpınar, Deputy Minister of Environment and Urbanization of Türkiye
• Fatma Şahin, Mayor of Gaziantep
• Dr. Esra Albayrak

This unique gathering highlighted the importance of bridging science, policy, and implementation in addressing global waste challenges.

WtERT’s Role in Advancing Global Waste Solutions

The presence of Professor Themelis, founder of WtERT, underscores the organization’s role as a global platform connecting academia, governments, and industry to advance sustainable waste management.

WtERT, headquartered at Columbia University, has long promoted Waste-to-Energy (WtE) as a key solution for managing residual, non-recyclable waste while reducing methane emissions from landfills.

This meeting reflects WtERT’s mission to facilitate knowledge transfer and international collaboration at the highest level.

From Vision to Action: Türkiye’s Zero Waste Journey

At the time of this meeting, Türkiye’s Zero Waste initiative, led under the auspices of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, was in its early stages.

The discussions at Columbia University contributed to shaping a broader understanding of how countries can:

• Minimize landfill use
• Improve recycling systems
• Address residual waste through advanced technologies
• Integrate environmental policies with economic development

Zero Waste & Implementation

A Strategic Evolution: Waste-to-Energy in Istanbul

In the years following this high-level exchange, Türkiye translated its Zero Waste vision into concrete action.

The development of Istanbul’s first large-scale Waste-to-Energy facility represents a major milestone in:

• Diverting residual waste from landfills
• Generating energy from non-recyclable materials
• Supporting a circular economy approach

This progression illustrates how early-stage international dialogue and academic engagement can lead to impactful infrastructure development.

A Milestone for International Collaboration

The meeting between First Lady Emine Erdoğan and Columbia University experts stands as a symbolic and strategic milestone:

• Global expertise meets national ambition
• Academic research informs public policy
• Dialogue evolves into implementation

For WtERT, this moment reinforces its role as a trusted global network driving sustainable waste management solutions. This meeting remains a defining example of how vision, knowledge, and action can come together to accelerate the transition toward a Zero Waste future.