Climate Crisis Discussed at ÇEVKO Vakfı Talks

Climate Crisis Addressed at ÇEVKO Foundation Talks The climate crisis is being comprehensively discussed at the ÇEVKO Foundation Talks, organized in cooperation between ÇEVKO Foundation and the Economic Journalists Association (EGD). Moderated by Ahmet Coşkunaydın, Member of the EGD High Advisory Board, and with the participation of ÇEVKO Foundation General Secretary Mete İmer, the sixth session of the talks, which address sustainability practices across different sectors, featured SHURA Energy Transformation Center (SHURA) as its guest. ÇEVKO Foundation is among the leading institutions in Turkey that have taken on intellectual leadership in "combating climate crisis" and "transitioning to circular economy."   The ÇEVKO Foundation Talks, organized since 2021 by ÇEVKO Foundation's Climate Change and Sustainability Working Group in cooperation with the Economic Journalists Association (EGD) Global Warming Congress Committee, comprehensively address the climate crisis and discuss exemplary practices on sustainability. ÇEVKO Foundation's Climate Change and Sustainability (CCS) Group and the Economic Journalists Association (EGD)'s sixth talk in 2022 was held under the title "The Role of Energy Transformation in Combating Climate Change." The online discussion, moderated by Ahmet Coşkunaydın, Member of the EGD High Advisory Board, and with the participation of ÇEVKO Foundation General Secretary Mete İmer, featured guest speakers Alkım Bağ Güllü, Director of SHURA Energy Transformation Center, and Yael Taranto, Senior Energy Analyst at SHURA Energy Transformation Center. The online meeting discussed the concept of energy transformation, net-zero carbon targets, the current situation globally and in Turkey, results from SHURA studies for Turkey, SHURA energy transformation scenarios, investment and financing requirements, financing climate globally and in Turkey, policy and action areas for energy transformation financing in Turkey, and financing solutions.

ÇEVKO Foundation General Secretary Mete İmer thanked all participants and emphasized the importance of Climate Change and Sustainability work; he drew attention to greenhouse gas emissions resulting from energy production:

"For two years we have organized workshops with the Economic Journalists Association (EGD) that address the causes of climate change and emphasize the importance of sustainability. Today we are also addressing the issue of energy transformation. Climate change is a reality that we are all aware of and is being discussed on all platforms both domestically and internationally. The Paris Climate Agreement was signed in 2015, and Parliament ratified this agreement at the end of 2021. Approximately a year has passed since then; time moves quickly and climate change proceeds at the same pace, relentlessly and mercilessly. We are all racing against time as individuals and institutions." [caption id="attachment_146002" align="aligncenter"] ÇEVKO Foundation General Secretary Mete İmer[/caption]

Mete İmer continued:

"In 2021, Turkey set the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2053. There are important steps that need to be taken to achieve this goal. I have identified eight steps that we consider important. I would like to list them briefly. First: Turkey's commitment regarding the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; Turkey's nationally determined contribution to the UN should be updated and made more ambitious to align with the 2053 target. Second: The enactment and implementation of climate legislation and necessary legal regulations; there is significant progress on this matter. Third: Setting a limit and cost on carbon emissions through an Emissions Trading System and/or through taxation to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Fourth: Planning and implementation to end the use of coal in energy production; in parallel, planning to increase forests and other carbon sinks. Fifth: Increasing energy efficiency in buildings, industry and transport, making renewable energy investment and use more ambitious. Sixth: In addition to emissions from the energy sector and industry, reducing emissions from transport, buildings, agriculture and waste. Seventh: Creating substantial financial resources, including incentives, to achieve all of these; sourcing these resources from public, private, national and international funds. Eighth and finally: Creating awareness in society against the climate crisis, launching and sustaining national campaigns for changing habits. These are truly challenging targets and efforts. Both the world and our country are going through a difficult economic period. It is not easy to prioritize all of these, but we must do them for our future and for future generations. As you may notice, many of what I listed were related to energy because the biggest factor causing greenhouse gas emissions is actually energy production and energy consumption. It has been scientifically proven that greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of fossil fuels to obtain energy cause climate change. We must take precautions based on scientific data. All participants in this meeting are aware of this, and now I sincerely thank the SHURA Energy Transformation Center participants who will enlighten us in more detail on energy issues through their presentations."

SHURA – Energy Transformation Center Director Alkım Bağ Güllü: "The Energy Sector is Responsible for 70 Percent of Carbon Emissions in Turkey"

Established in 2017, SHURA Energy Transformation Center (SHURA) functions as an innovative energy transformation platform aimed at contributing to the decarbonization of the energy sector while meeting the need for a sustainable and widely accepted common ground for discussing studies on the political, technological and economic aspects of Turkey's energy sector. SHURA Director Alkım Bağ Güllü delivered a presentation titled "The Role of Energy Transformation in Combating Climate Change" at the meeting, sharing information about SHURA's work. Stating that the energy sector is responsible for 70 percent of carbon emissions in Turkey, Alkım Bağ Güllü said, "There are three fundamental problems in energy. First is ensuring energy supply security. Second is economic access to energy. Third is sustainability. These problems are being considered independently of each other, which is very wrong. There is a single answer to all three; that is energy transformation. There are three fundamental components to energy transformation. First is maximizing the share of renewable energy and minimizing the share of fossil fuels. Second is energy efficiency and reducing demand through energy efficiency. Third is reducing the share of fossil fuels through electrification in energy-intensive sectors and meeting additional energy demand from renewable energy. Through this, it is possible to ensure energy supply security, protect against fossil fuel-related price fluctuations, and reduce the negative effects of climate change. Energy transformation also means structural transformation and represents the transition from a centralized, one-sided, fossil fuel-heavy traditional system to a system that is renewable energy-heavy, distributed, interactive, digital, and consumer-focused. Increasingly more countries are announcing zero-carbon targets, and Turkey has announced a zero-carbon target for 2053. Fossil fuels make up 83 percent of Turkey's energy mix. The share of renewable energy in primary energy supply is 16 percent. On the other hand, as of end of 2021, renewable energy sources represent more than half of installed capacity and 36 percent of electricity generation. The share of solar and wind exceeds 13 percent of the total. While imported fossil fuels represent 78 percent of primary energy supply in Turkey, transformation in the energy sector continues. In terms of emissions, Turkey's emissions have shown a 134 percent increase over the last 20 years, and this increase is largely due to the continued increase in energy-related emissions. The share of the electricity sector in Turkey's total CO2 emissions from the energy sector is 40 percent. For this reason, it is of critical importance that the electricity sector decarbonizes before other sectors and leads the energy transition," he concluded.