Nations vow to step up action on climate, environment at OECD meeting

Officials from the 38 member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Union as well as several non-member countries committed to intensifying their work on climate and the environment as part of the OECD Environment Ministerial Meeting on Thursday.

In a declaration, they pledged to do more to curb biodiversity loss, address plastic pollution, align finance with environmental objectives and accelerate climate change action to keep the 1.5°C temperature rise limit within reach.

The declaration was adopted by ministers responsible for the environment from OECD countries, the EU, several non-member countries including Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Peru and Romania and representatives of international organizations.

Countries are committed to developing and implementing effective and ambitious environmental and climate strategies aimed at achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to keep the limit of a 1.5°C temperature increase.

They also agreed to strengthen efforts to align COVID-19 recovery plans with environmental and climate goals to build a green, inclusive and resilient recovery for all.

Ministers invited the OECD to strengthen existing work in several key areas, including carbon pricing; the quality, coverage and coordination of environmental data; biodiversity loss; sustainable finance; and OECD engagement on environmental analysis with non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private sector as well as youth, women, indigenous peoples and vulnerable and underserved communities.

-Turkiye’s projects on preventing marine pollution

Attending the meeting, Turkiye’s Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Murat Kurum, said 130,000 tons of marine litter have been collected from the coast and the sea since 2019.

Noting that they carry out studies to reduce marine litter with zero waste movement and waste management activities, he said: “We will resolutely continue our national efforts to prevent marine litter at its source.”

He went on to say that the Mediterranean region is one of the 25 hotspots affected by climate change in the world, where more than 180 million people live under pressure.

“We are carrying out important projects and serious studies to protect the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea, our lakes and rivers from this threat. We know that the smallest piece of water we take under protection will be a big step towards protecting marine ecosystems and will make positive contributions,” he said.