The Turkish government's mission is to increase forestry and create green oases in our cities with public gardens, said the president.

Speaking via videoconference on Thursday at the opening ceremony for nine Nation’s Gardens on Türkiye Environment Week, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that over the last 21 years, "We planted 6.5 billion saplings to date and we will plant 9 million saplings today.”

"Our duty is to protect our land, seas, and rivers with successful waste management, and to have the places we live in prosper in accordance with nature by building environmentally friendly buildings," said Erdogan.

Erdogan said that his government strives to protect nature and is "working hard for environmental awareness to take root in our society.”

He said under a new decree he signed, the week of the June 5 is being celebrated as Türkiye Environment Week under the theme "Clean World, Clean Sea."

Zero-waste initiative

On Türkiye's zero waste initiative, Erdogan said that the main goal of the initiative, which they started five years ago, is to prevent plastic pollution.

In 2017, under the auspices of first lady Emine Erdogan, Türkiye launched the zero-waste project to highlight the importance of eliminating waste in fighting the climate crisis.

The project has drawn international praise, with UN chief Antonio Guterres expressing his gratitude to Emine Erdogan during a conference in New York last September.

Last December, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on the zero waste initiative presented by Türkiye, declaring March 30 the International Day of Zero Waste.

With the zero waste initiative, the recycling rate in Türkiye rose to over 30 percent in 2022 from 13 percent in 2017, said Erdogan, adding that efforts to boost waste and recycling awareness will continue.