Minister reiterates commitment to passing Climate Law

PARIS

Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum has reiterated Turkey’s commitment to passing the Climate Law soon as part of efforts to fight climate change with a realistic approach.

“We have made great progress in preparing the law, which will include provisions for all the sectors,” said Kurum, who is in Paris to attend a meeting of the environmental committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) at a ministerial level.

The law will help Turkey complete its green transformation to meet its 2053 Zero Emission Target and increase forest areas, according to Kurum.

Funds will be channeled to local authorities to support their initiatives to fight climate change, Kurum said.

“Within the scope of the Climate Law, the emission trading system will be launched, and revenues to be generated through the carbon pricing mechanism will be extended to companies to support their clean production and green investments,” Kurum furthered.

Turkey will also undertake initiatives for those whose employment will be affected the most during the green transformation and make sure that disadvantaged groups, such as the young people, women and the poor, actively take part in the process, the minister said.

Ongoing projects

He also said that Turkey has been undertaking a number of important projects for the production of the environment and to fight climate change, recalling that the Turkish parliament ratified the Paris Climate Agreement in October last year.

“Turkey has joined other nations in green development,” Kurum said, noting that key issues were raised and discussed, such as national energy policy and boosting micro-mobility in the country’s first-ever Climate Council held in February.

The Climate Law will be enacted soon as part of the country’s efforts to meet the right and realistic targets, Kurum reiterated.

The recycling rate in Turkey has already risen to 22.4 percent, and the target is to further increase this figure to 35 percent by 2025 and to 60 percent by 2035, according to the minister.

With the measures introduced, plastic bag usage has dropped as much as 65 percent, 90 percent of the wastewater is treated at facilities, and some 3.5 percent of the treated water is offered for use, Kurum said.

He also noted that Turkey’s investments in renewable energy are growing fast.

“Renewable energy sources now account for 52 percent of the country’s all installed capacity. This puts Turkey in fifth place in Europe and 12th in the world. In terms of geothermal energy, Turkish ranks first in Europe and fourth in the world.”

The OECD gathers Environment Ministers for a meeting on March 30 and March 2022. The theme of the meeting is “Ensuring a Resilient and Healthy Environment for All” and features two central focuses: Climate and plastics.