Erdogan Calls Climate Crisis Global Threat Comparable to Wars, Pandemics

(MENAFN) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cautioned that the growing climate crisis represents one of the most significant challenges facing the world, arguing that its consequences are comparable to those caused by armed conflicts and major disease outbreaks.

Speaking during the gala dinner of the Zero Waste Forum in Istanbul on Sunday, Erdogan said, “The climate issue is a serious problem that threatens all of humanity, just like war and global pandemics.”

He emphasized that a wide range of environmental and production-related challenges—including air pollution, contamination of food supplies, food insecurity, waste disposal issues, and natural disasters—are interconnected and often intensify one another through what he described as a “butterfly effect.”

According to Erdogan, the consequences of these interconnected problems are becoming increasingly visible each year, affecting critical sectors such as energy, transportation, healthcare, agriculture, and livestock production.

The Turkish president argued that the situation should be recognized as a climate crisis rather than simply climate change, saying that accurately defining the scale of the challenge is essential for developing effective and practical responses.

He also pointed to the rapid advancement of technology and artificial intelligence, warning that rising production levels combined with unsustainable consumption patterns are placing growing pressure on the natural environment.

“We are living in an era where artificial intelligence and new technologies are speeding up production, while unconscious consumption habits are wearing down nature,” he added.

Erdogan made the remarks while highlighting the progress and objectives of Türkiye’s Zero Waste initiative, which aims to promote sustainability and reduce environmental harm through improved waste management and resource efficiency.

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