The outcomes of the workshop held in Trabzon on 5 May 2026 as part of the Türkiye Zero Waste Environment and Climate Change Workshops were presented to the public at the concluding conference hosted by our University with the participation of the Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye, Mehmet Fatih Kacır. The findings obtained throughout the process, carried out under the theme “Waste, Resource and Materials Management: From Local to National”, were shared at the KTU Prof. Dr. Osman Turan Culture and Congress Centre.

The programme was attended by the Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye, Mehmet Fatih Kacır, the Governor of Trabzon, Tahir Åžahin, the Mayor of Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality, Ahmet Metin Genç, the President of TÜBÄ°TAK, Orhan Aydın, our Rector, Prof. Dr. Hamdullah Çuvalcı, the President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, Samed AğırbaÅŸ, the Vice Rector of Trabzon University, Prof. Dr. Hasan Karal, the AK Party Trabzon Provincial Chair, Dr. Sezgin Mumcu, the Chair of the High Advisory Board of the Eastern Black Sea Federation of Industry and Business and Vice President of Trabzonspor, Zeyyat Kafkas, the President of the Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Erkut Çelebi, representatives of public institutions, local authorities, political parties and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as our academic and administrative staff and invited guests.

Workshop Outcomes Presented

The programme began with a moment of silence and the Turkish National Anthem, followed by the screening of the Zero Waste Foundation promotional film and a short film about the Trabzon Workshop. In the first session, the Director of the Trabzon Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, UÄŸur Korkmaz, presented the workshop outcomes together with the Trabzon Zero Waste Target Document. The presentation outlined the province’s priorities regarding waste management, resource efficiency and sustainable environmental policies, as well as the strategic steps to be taken at the local level.

Scientific Contribution and a Multi-Stakeholder Process

The workshop was conducted through a multi-stakeholder approach in which universities, alongside public institutions, played an active role. Researchers participating in the workshop, particularly from Karadeniz Technical University, contributed scientific expertise on climate change, disaster management and the sustainable use of natural resources. In this respect, the Trabzon Workshop stood out as an important platform bringing together local knowledge and academic expertise.

Zero Waste Highlighted in Protocol Speeches

During the protocol speeches delivered at the Trabzon Workshop Concluding Conference, speakers emphasised that the zero waste approach should be considered not only from an environmental perspective but also in terms of its economic, social and developmental dimensions.

In his address, the Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye, Mehmet Fatih Kacır, stressed that transforming production and consumption patterns is essential in combating climate change and noted that the zero waste approach has become one of the fundamental components of the country's development model. Minister Kacır stated: “Our goal is to establish, together, a development model across our country that reduces waste at its source, transforms existing resources into added value and brings local potential together with production.”

Our Rector, Prof. Dr. Hamdullah Çuvalcı, highlighted the role of universities in this process, stating: “Universities are not merely institutions that prepare reports; they undertake critical responsibilities such as generating scientific data, developing decision-support mechanisms and monitoring the impact of implementation. As Karadeniz Technical University, we are ready to contribute to this transformation through all our academic units.”

During the programme, Certificates of Appreciation were presented to representatives of the institutions and organisations that contributed to the process. The Zero Waste Best Practices Award was presented to Karadeniz Technical University for its Living Campus – Living Lab KTU project. In addition, Certificates of Appreciation were awarded to our Vice Rector, Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk UrsavaÅŸ, and the KTU Zero Waste Coordinator, Prof. Dr. Dilek Beyazlı, in recognition of their valuable contributions to the process.

The workshop and concluding conference hosted by our university were regarded as an important step towards aligning locally developed environmental policies with national objectives and strengthening Türkiye’s zero waste vision.

 

Önceki Sonraki