"Turkey's Green Development Strategy Panel" in Glasgow

Presidency Communications Directorate Holds "Turkey's Green Development Strategy Panel" in Glasgow Karim Elgendy, Environment and Society Programme Specialist at Chatham House: "I believe Turkey has made quite significant efforts on renewable sources. Solar and wind potential has tripled over the past few years" "With access to certain funds, Turkey will achieve much more than just renewable sources, zero waste projects and afforestation"

METU Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Oktay Tanrısever:

"I believe Turkey will realize the great potential in its green industrial development strategy and its neighbors will benefit from it as well"

SETA Washington DC Research Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kılıç Buğra Kanat:

"Climate refugees will be different from the current refugee crisis we face. Currently there are countries accepting these refugees with temporary status and there is always hope that the conflict will end and there will be some kind of reconstruction and they will return home, but climate refugees will be permanent" GLASGOW (AA) - The Presidency Communications Directorate organized a panel titled "Turkey's Green Development Strategy: An Inclusive, Sustainable and Humanitarian Vision" within the scope of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) taking place in Glasgow, Scotland. The panel addressed climate change, green development, climate crisis, sustainable development, zero waste, environmental protection, responsible production and consumption, the COP26 agenda, environment-centered policies and Turkey's green development targets. Moderated by TRT World Presenter Selina Downes, the panel featured speakers including METU Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Oktay Tanrısever, SETA Washington DC Research Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kılıç Buğra Kanat, UN Climate Change Youth Advisory Group Chair Nisreen Elsaim and Karim Elgendy, Environment and Society Programme Specialist at Chatham House in the United Kingdom. Karim Elgendy, Environment and Society Programme Specialist at the UK-based think tank Chatham House, spoke about climate change's effects on Turkey: "Turkey is in the Mediterranean and has a unique geographic position that is affected by climate change differently from everyone else. In other words, it means less rainfall." Noting that temperatures in Turkey are already expected to rise and rainfall to decrease, Elgendy stated: "These two together mean more desertification and also create conditions for erosion, which is a real problem in Turkey. That is why Turkey is trying to create more forests to prevent erosion."

"Turkey's steps are quite impressive in every respect"

Pointing out that Turkey is taking steps to reach net zero emissions, Elgendy said: "I believe Turkey has made quite significant efforts on renewable sources. Solar and wind potential has tripled over the past few years. There has been a major increase in overall renewable energy. I think Turkey's share of renewable energy is above 50 percent this year, which is quite impressive in every respect." Drawing attention to Turkey's ambitious afforestation target for 2023, Karim Elgendy expressed: "With access to certain funds, Turkey will achieve much more than just renewable sources, zero waste projects and afforestation." "More than 5.6 million people face the threat of death due to hunger and malnutrition" UN Climate Change Youth Advisory Group Chair Elsaim also noted that climate change is seen not just in Turkey but everywhere in the world, giving examples from Africa. Emphasizing that more than 11 African countries declared a state of emergency due to floods in 2020, Elsaim stated: "Sudan was one of them. We experienced the worst flooding of the century and ironically this year, 7 countries also declared a state of emergency but for the opposite reason; due to drought. So this year 7 countries are facing drought. This situation threatens more than 5.6 million people with death due to hunger and malnutrition." Underlining that climate change is therefore not merely an extreme weather event, Elsaim said it also affects areas such as water security, food security and the economy. Also pointing out that climate change will force people to migrate, Elsaim concluded her remarks as follows: "For example, Bangladesh will lose a third of its land due to rising sea levels and it is a very small country with a very large population. So what will these people who lose a third of their land do? They will migrate. It is the only solution they have. Not just Bangladesh, but all small island states are the same. The Maldives have a population of nearly 12 million. So what will happen if the Maldives are underwater? They will have to migrate."

"I believe Turkey will realize the great potential in its green industrial development strategy"

METU Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Tanrısever expressed that Turkey is aware of the challenges arising from climate change, saying: "Because Turkey is located in one of the world's most difficult regions. Climate change affects Turkey in terms of the impact of deforestation and temperature increase on biodiversity. We have seen its impact on water resources. Turkey is tackling these challenges on its own." Explaining that attention to dealing with climate change has transformed into a more systematic and comprehensive approach through the development of a common approach by the international community, Tanrısever said: "Turkey has been a strong supporter of this from the beginning. Because Turkey is an OECD member, it had to deal with diplomatic challenges." Noting that as an EU candidate country, Turkey had to align its climate strategy with that of the EU, Prof. Dr. Tanrısever stated: "At the same time, as a regional power, I believe Turkey can present this success story to its immediate vicinity, from the Caucasus to Central Asia, some Middle Eastern countries and Balkan countries and also a part of the Black Sea. I think Turkey will realize the great potential in its green industrial development strategy and its neighbors will also benefit from it." Emphasizing that young people in Turkey are aware of the struggle against climate change, Oktay Tanrısever said: "We have a climate representative in all universities and more environmentally friendly solutions are being seen in transportation and other areas. We have seen that young people are very aware of these climate policies. Our students are in close contact with the rest of the world. There are various exchange programs and our students participate in various programs on environment, energy and also climate issues. Therefore, I have great hope in Turkish youth and they have this awareness and desire to solve these problems."

Cited domestic electric vehicle as example

Tanrısever cited Turkey's production of its own electric car among the steps Turkey is taking to reach net zero emissions. Stating that if Turkey produces this technology more cheaply, it will share it with partners in neighboring countries such as Central Asia, the Black Sea region, the Balkans, the Caucasus and the Middle East, Tanrısever noted: "They will also be able to access these technologies. Turkey is also investing in these technologies. So the issue is not just about energy transition, but also about developing new technologies that can produce new environment-friendly solutions. I think Turkey is on the right path." SETA Washington DC Research Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kanat also pointed out that Turkey is taking steps in areas such as waste management, renewable energy and forest expansion: "However, in the international arena, especially after the global pandemic, we have begun to feel that everyone is in the same boat. Sensitivity to global problems is increasing rapidly. Turkey was taking steps but starting from last year, they actually began to increase their focus and especially forest fires and flood disasters around the world brought to the agenda the idea that we need global cooperation on this matter." Drawing attention to migration caused by climate change, Kanat stated: "Climate refugees will be different from the current refugee crisis we face. Currently there are countries accepting these refugees with temporary status and there is always hope that the conflict will end and there will be some kind of reconstruction and they will return home, but climate refugees will be permanent. There will be nowhere to go. Not only their lives, but their cultures, their societies will also disappear. In the Syrian refugee crisis, the international community has been unable to prepare an action plan in 10 years. How will they deal with this (climate migration)? And we are probably talking about climate refugees that will occur in different parts of the world at the same time."