Climate change is systematic shock to civilization: UNDP

ANKARA

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The climate crisis is a "systematic shock to civilization" rather than a social, environmental or economic issue, a United Nations Development Program (UNDP) official said on Feb. 26.

"It's a tremendous challenge for our planets and residents," Sukhrob Khojimatov, the UNDP's deputy resident representative, said at an event in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the project "Enhancing Adaptation Action in Turkey," Khojimatov stated that as the problem is systematic, thus the solution is also "expected to be systematic.

This "should increase [the] resilience of natural systems and human systems while decreasing inequality in all dimensions," according to the representative.

"Climate change has an impact on Turkey significantly in the last decade," he said, adding that the weather patterns are changing and "climate-related disasters are increasing" in the country.

He also said that there is also a long term increase in the number of summer days and tropical days in Turkey, an indication of climate change.

"Thanks to the fruitful partnership we have been working on energy efficiency, resource efficiency, renewable energy and integrated ecosystem disaster risk reduction," he added.

Khojimatov said the UNDP in Turkey and the Environment and Urbanization Ministry collaborated in the EU project, which aims to build resilient societies against climate change.

"The specific purpose of this project is to establish an enabling environment for climate change adaptation in Turkey by developing the policy, technical and operational baselines, which includes better decision-making tools for national climate change on the adaptation policies."

'Climate change has no borders'

Meanwhile, Angel Gutierrez Hidalgo, first counselor of EU delegation to Turkey, said that climate change is a global issue but action must initially be taken at the local level.

"It's clear that any action that we implement here in Turkey today will also have an impact across our border. And this is why it's also important for the EU," Hidalgo said.

EU countries are responsible for less than 10 percent. of the global emissions, he said and urged joint action

Sebahattin Dökmeci, the deputy director-general of environmental management at Environment Ministry, said an increase in the number and intensity of disasters caused by climate change poses a great threat to all living creatures.

"Especially disasters such as floods, landslides and cyclones in the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions, caused serious loss of life and property," he said.

He said that Turkey's climate change platform also will be launched as part of the intended project that will serve as a network of all climate change data, prepared in Turkey, scientific publications for all specialists working on climate change.