Sustainable Transportation Summit Begins This Week

Turkey's transport sector is one of the largest sources of energy consumption and carbon emissions. Land transportation based on fossil fuels causes deterioration of air quality and contributes to global climate change. Sustainable transport is a critical tool for protecting the environment and human health and achieving climate targets. In this context, the Sustainable Transport Summit, organized by the Green Development Foundation (YEKAV), will take place in Istanbul at Swissôtel The Bosphorus on 19-20 August 2025.

The event brings together the public sector, private sector and academia to contribute to the determination of Turkey's sustainable transport policies. The event will feature expert speakers from public institutions and organizations, private sector representatives and academics, including T.C. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu and Head of T.C. Presidential Investment and Finance Office Burak Dağlıoğlu...

Transport has become one of today's most pressing problems, particularly in major cities, due to rising populations and changing lifestyles. The traffic congestion and carbon-intensive transport resulting from increased individual vehicle use pose a threat to public health and our planet. The country's dependence on fossil fuels carries both economic and strategic risks. Healthier and more livable cities are everyone's right, and sustainable transport is an indispensable part of this. Sustainable transport is made possible by promoting energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, passenger-friendly transport methods with high social inclusiveness. Policies aimed at reducing individual vehicle use in urban transport systems are important at this point.

The Sustainable Transport Summit to be organized by the Green Development Foundation will be developed in light of this awareness and necessity and will create a roadmap for sustainable transport in Turkey, which will also be an important guide in this field. Aiming to reach all stakeholders with the call "We add value to life through sustainable transport," the summit will be an important event to reduce the carbon footprint of the transport sector, promote environmentally friendly solutions and contribute to Turkey's sustainable transport vision.

In addition to panels addressing sustainable transport policies, macro and micro-level transport practices and digital mobility services, sustainable transport legislation and policy along with social, economic, environmental and technological assessments will be discussed with the participation of all stakeholders at the workshop held as part of the summit. The issues raised at the summit and all views and recommendations obtained at the workshop will be reflected in the "Summit Declaration" to be prepared and shared with the public.

Turkey has ratified the Paris Climate Agreement and announced a net zero emissions target by 2053. The transformation of the transport sector plays a fundamental role in achieving this target. At the same time, the transition to sustainable transport is inevitable for economic and legal compliance within the framework of the EU Green Deal.