Second Global Zero Waste Forum Held in Istanbul Before COP31
第二屆全球零廢棄論壇於 COP31 前在伊斯坦堡舉行
Introduction
The Second Global Zero Waste Forum has started in Istanbul. Representatives from 183 countries have gathered to coordinate climate strategies and improve resource efficiency before the COP31 summit in Antalya.
第二屆全球零廢棄論壇已在伊斯坦堡開幕。來自 183 個國家的代表聚集在此，在安塔利亞舉行 COP31 峰會之前，協調氣候策略並提高資源效率。
Main Body
The forum is organized by the Zero Waste Foundation and supported by UN agencies such as UN-Habitat and UNEP. Its main goal is to bring countries together to improve environmental management. Under the theme 'The Road to Antalya: Zero Waste as Climate Action,' the event emphasizes how a circular economy—where materials are reused and recycled—can help reduce the effects of climate change. High-level meetings are focusing on how industry, technology, agriculture, and energy can work together to achieve these goals.
本次論壇由零廢棄基金會主辦，並獲得聯合國人類棲居計劃（UN-Habitat）與聯合國環境計劃（UNEP）等聯合國機構支持。其主要目標是促使各國共同合作，以改善環境管理。在「通往安塔利亞之路：將零廢棄作為氣候行動」的主題下，活動強調循環經濟（即物料的重複利用與回收）如何有助於減緩氣候變遷的影響。高層會議正聚焦於工業、科技、農業與能源如何協同工作以實現這些目標。
Speakers at the event emphasized that the current industrial model of consumption is failing. Emine Erdoğan, chair of the UN High-Level Advisory Board on Zero Waste, stated that relying on disposable products causes both environmental damage and a loss of human values. She pointed out that the world produces over 2.1 billion tons of waste every year, and this number could almost double by 2050. Furthermore, she highlighted a serious gap in resource distribution, noting that while billions of plates of food are wasted annually, around 673 million people still suffer from chronic hunger.
活動講者強調，目前的工業消費模式已經失效。聯合國零廢棄高級諮詢委員會主席 Emine Erdoğan 表示，依賴一次性產品會導致環境破壞以及人類價值的喪失。她指出，全球每年產生超過 21 億噸廢物，到 2050 年這個數字可能會增加近一倍。此外，她強調資源分配存在嚴重差距，指出每年有數以十億計的食物被浪費，但約 6.73 億人仍飽受長期飢餓之苦。
From an institutional view, UN-Habitat Executive Director Anaclaudia Rossbach asserted that the biggest challenge is moving from ideas to actual implementation. She argued that we must redesign the entire life of a product, from packaging to recycling, to improve public health and city resilience. Additionally, the forum discussed the global responsibility to address environmental destruction caused by conflicts, specifically mentioning the human and ecological impact of the situation in Gaza.
從機構視角來看，聯合國人類棲居計劃執行主任 Anaclaudia Rossbach 主張，最大的挑戰在於如何將構想轉化為實際執行。她認為我們必須重新設計產品的整個生命週期，從包裝到回收，以改善公共衛生與城市韌性。此外，論壇亦討論了處理因衝突導致之環境破壞的全球責任，特別提到加薩局勢對人類與生態造成的影響。
Conclusion
The forum concludes by focusing on connecting government policy with financial investment. The goal is to make zero-waste rules a primary tool for climate resilience before the COP31 summit begins.
論壇最後將重點放在將政府政策與金融投資掛鉤。目標是在 COP31 峰會開始之前，將零廢棄規則轉化為氣候韌性的主要工具。
Vocabulary Learning
The 'Action-Verb' Power-Up
At the A2 level, you probably use say or think for everything. But to reach B2, you need Reporting Verbs. These change the 'flavor' of the sentence and show exactly how a person is speaking.
Look at how the author describes the speakers in the text. Instead of saying 'She said,' they use these precise tools:
- Asserted To say something with strong confidence.
- Example: "Rossbach asserted that the biggest challenge is implementation."
- Highlighted To draw attention to a specific, important fact.
- Example: "She highlighted a serious gap in resource distribution."
- Emphasized To stress that something is very important.
- Example: "Speakers emphasized that the industrial model is failing."
💡 The B2 Upgrade Map
| A2 (Basic) | B2 (Professional) | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Said | Stated | For official facts |
| Said | Argued | When giving a reason or opinion |
| Pointed out | Noted | When mentioning a detail |
🧩 Logical Connectors: Moving Beyond 'And' & 'But'
To sound more fluent, stop starting every sentence with a simple conjunction. The text uses Transitions to guide the reader:
- Furthermore: Use this when you have one point, and you want to add another strong point. (It is like 'And' but more formal).
- Specifically: Use this when you want to move from a general idea to a real-world example.
Quick Shift:
- A2 style: "Waste is a problem and it is bad for Gaza."
- B2 style: "Environmental destruction is a global issue; specifically, the situation in Gaza shows a huge ecological impact."