Mr. Secretary-General, Mr. President,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Germany aligns itself with the joint statement that was delivered by the EU. We would like to emphasize the following in our national capacity:

“We are deeply concerned about rapid environmental degradation, and we recognize the urgent need for a fundamental shift in our approach in order to achieve a world in which humanity lives in harmony with nature. We must conserve, restore and sustainably use our planet’s ecosystems and natural resources to support the health and well-being of present and future generations.”

These are not only my words. This is what we all agreed on in the Pact for the Future.

Member States committed themselves to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns, including sustainable lifestyles, circular economy approaches and zero-waste initiatives.

We once again thank Türkiye for its valuable contribution to this process.

Responsible production and consumption are not only prerequisites for avoiding waste, as well as associated problems such as air and water pollution. They are also essential for tackling climate change. Reducing textile waste cuts carbon emissions and conserves precious resources like water.

We thank Türkiye, UN-Habitat and UNEP for making fashion and textile waste the focus of this year’s International Day of Zero Waste as they remain urgent issues. The fast fashion industry has led to a surge in discarded clothing, much of which ends up in landfills or is incinerated.

A mixture of voluntary measures by companies and regulatory measures has proven to be effective. Brands have to be encouraged to take accountability for the entire lifecycle of their products as also outlined in SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production patterns.

At the same time, we have to specifically invest in modern recycling technologies, upcycling and responsible consumption.

To conclude, we believe it to be our joint responsibility as Member States together with industries and consumers to effectively tackle the effects of overconsumption and textile waste.

I thank you.