Turkey has ratified the 2015 Paris climate agreement, which aims to reduce the catastrophic effects of climate change. This was a major step in its “green development revolution”. The environmental catastrophes of the summer 2021 and lobbying from the European Union forced President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government into urgently addressing climate change.
The Paris deal was unanimously ratified by the Turkish parliament. MomentumErdoan’s statements at the 76th session United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) reinforced Ankara’s unflinching commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC COP21 in Paris.
Turkey’s 2023 green goals include the Paris ratification. Through this, Turkey hopes to meet its EU membership criteria. The 2053 Turkey model vision of rights, justice, and a net-zero emission goal places a major focus on the Paris ratification.
The ratification of the landmark agreement is a multilateral diplomatic victory that was welcomed by Alok Sharma, President of the COP26. RecognizedErdoan’s efforts and Environment, Urban Planning and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurums commitment to net zero emissions by 2053 are a testament to Erdoan’s efforts.
Climate diplomacy
The Paris Agreement and the G-20 require that ratifying countries agree to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7° Fahrenheit). They also need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030 and drop them to zero by 2050. Turkey’s average temperatures are expected to be around 25°C. RiseAccording to the Turkish State Meteorological Service, the temperature will rise by 2 degrees Celsius in the next decade.TSMS).
Many environmentalists believe Turkey could realistically renew its climate-change commitments, reducing emissions by 25% rather than 21%. This is significant as Turkey ranks 16th globally in greenhouse gas emissions per capita. Turkey must set short-term climate targets for 2053 in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Environment commitments
Turkey’s ratification was a condition for commerce with European Union countries, thereby facilitating Turkey-EU trade to help a recovering economy. Ankara’s closer alignment to the European Green Deal, reducing emissions via production relocation, and importing/exporting less-carbon-intensive products, is necessary in order to be ready for future trade with climate-sensitive EU countries.
Ankara’s global environmental acclaim is further enhanced by the ratification. Ankara is already a signatory of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. The Montreal Protocol, the Rotterdam Convention and the Stockholm Convention on Organic Pollutants.
The Turkish Environmental Agency (TUA), under the Environment and Urbanization Ministry, will run a zero-waste project to boost the economy by recycling. This project will be in addition to Turkey’s 2015 Regulation on Waste Management. Emine Erdoans Zero Waste Project, first lady, recycles 24.2 Million Tons of trash across the country. The goal is to reach a recycling rate 60% by 2035. Turkey hopes to eliminate all waste disposal by storing it in 2050.
Turkey continues to launch smart-city initiatives, including energy-efficient and climate-sensitive residences across the country. Turkeys Housing Development Administration (Turkey Housing Development Administration) has been mandated to build these houses.TOKI) to institutionalize effective zero-waste practices via renewable energy resources.
TUA should now be closer to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as they can draw on their expertise in climate mitigation, sustainable development, pollution prevention and sustainable development.
Turkey also has access to unprecedented international financial and technological support under the Paris Agreement through its ratification.
Climate initiatives
Turkey will harmonize its legislation with EU law and international environmental standards in lieu of ratification. In issuing environmental licenses, regulators must take a stricter approach to updating and tightening Turkey’s Regulation on Environmental Permits and Licenses. This will be done starting in 2014.
Ankara is required by the U.N. Secretariat to update its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) national climate action plan. It includes emission reduction targets for specific energy, waste and agriculture sectors.
The country must now submit biannual climate reports that include national greenhouse gas inventories. The deal stipulates that Turkey will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 21% in 2030. Turkey will have to update its national contributions to combating climate change every five year. Each update will improve the quality of the previous one.
Turkey will now revise its national climate action plan with medium to long-term targets of 2030 and 2050. They will also establish a climate data center and a platform for sharing best practices and cutting-edge technology.
A new climate road map, the Fight Against Climate Change Declaration, was announced in February 2021. It aims to promote eco-friendly production, encourage waste recycling, conserve water, and regulate carbon pricing practices, in accordance with the Paris Agreements economic incentives.
Turkey’s Nations Garden project covers 81 million sq. m (871 million sq. feet). This allows the country to increase green spaces, including 207 new parks. Parks were also built around cities like Bursa, Diyarbakr and Elaz, Sakaryas, Samsun, and Trabzon.
Turkey expands its preserved ecological sites through the Ecological Corridors Project, creating large green belts as well as corridors that are protected just like the country’s forest.
The climate law
The Climate Summit Final Declaration made it clear that Turkey will promulgate climate legislation to curb the adverse effects of climate changes. The climate bill presented before Parliament includes climate action plans to be implemented in seven regions of Turkey. These seven plans are designed to strategically align the nation’s regions through climate change policies, legislative, and technical criteria. They also prepare local climate change action plan for municipalities.
The bill proposed integrates climate change targets and policies, modernizing the 2050 climate change action plan, and including mitigation strategies for sensitive sectors such as agriculture, tourism, livestock breeding, agriculture and renewables. The law creates an emissions trading system to compensate facilities for investing in cleaner production technologies.
As a result of the Paris ratification, Turkey’s legislation will now be harmonised with the European Green Deal. This environmental change blueprint is where all 27 EU countries commit to making Europe the first climate neutral continent by 2050 and reducing emissions by 55% by 2030.
*Freelance writer and international advisor, @OzerKhalid on Twitter
