Turkish climate action team flies flag in Greenland

ISTANBUL-Anadolu Agency

A Turkish climate action team known as UZMAR act. traveled to Greenland on Jan. 10 to raise awareness about the importance of climate change in the world and Turkey.

The three-member group recorded and observed climate conditions and natural life in the region.

"We aim to draw attention to global warming, to raise awareness about climate change and to inform people," Engin Hınçer told Anadolu Agency in an interview.

During their trek, Hınçer said they were proud to carry the Turkish flag with them over the mountains, under the water and through the glaciers on sleds.

Hınçer said the effects of climate change were not as apparent in Turkey as they were in Greenland, and that the crew witnessed how the changes in climate impacted lives over the years.

The fishermen in the region told the crew that the area had been completely frozen for the last 20 years and that they would puncture the ice to reach the fish below. Now, since the ice has melted, they have been forced to purchase their own boat and sail out to the sea to reach the fish.

Pointing out that they observed that the amount of melting in the glaciers has accelerated considerably, Hınçer said: "We weren't able to see any living creatures like polar bears, wolves or whales above or below the water.

"We only saw the footprints of a polar fox once while walking," Hınçer said.

He added that they preferred to go to Greenland because they could observe the conditions of the glaciers very clearly and that their next project would be to go to the bushfire-ravaged Australia.

Hınçer underlined that they were the first Turkish team to go to the Qaanaaq region during the winter.