First Lady Sajidha Mohamed has said that to stop environmental pollution from waste, action must be taken starting from the causes of waste generation, and that increasing producers' responsibility and disposing of waste sustainably are important for protecting the marine environment.

She made the remarks in a speech at the "High-Level Meeting of the Global Zero Waste Alliance", held in Antalya, Türkiye, during the President's official visit to the country to attend the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the UN climate change convention.

The meeting, organised by Emine Erdoğan, wife of the President of Türkiye, as part of efforts by countries to work together to protect the environment and find sustainable solutions to waste problems, was attended by spouses of heads of state.

In her speech, the First Lady highlighted the harmful effects of marine waste on reefs, marine life and food safety, and reminded attendees that waste does not simply disappear once it is thrown away. She also praised Emine Erdoğan's efforts to lead the zero waste movement at the global level, and expressed the Maldives' full support for the goals of the Global Zero Waste Alliance.

She also highlighted, among the legal measures the Maldives is taking to protect the environment, the amendments to the Waste Management Act ratified by the President last August. She said the amendments ban the illegal import of waste into the Maldives and set strict penalties for those who trade in hazardous waste without a permit.

Noting that waste management is everyone's responsibility, she said that countries like the Maldives that depend on imports have to bear the burden of waste produced, packaged and exported by other countries. She said producers' responsibility must not end with the sale of goods, and that the way must be paved for easy access to financing to adopt environmentally friendly packaging, use new technology and move toward a low-waste economy.

Highlighting the importance of empowering children to build a generation that will lead in keeping the environment clean, she said sustainable change can only be achieved through families, schools and communities working together. She noted that real change must begin at home, take root in schools and grow within communities.

The work of the "Global Zero Waste Alliance" was officially launched at this meeting.

The alliance is an effort by governments, UN agencies and international partners to expand sustainable waste management principles worldwide, building on the "Zero Waste Movement" launched in 2017 under the initiative of Emine Erdoğan, wife of the President of Türkiye.