Türkiye remained dedicated to attaining its purpose of changing into a greener nation all through 2023, with a number of initiatives, together with the Zero Waste mission, which was kicked off below the auspices of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, emphasizing the significance of conserving pure sources, rising recycling, and combating the disastrous results of local weather change.
Anadolu reporters gathered essential developments regarding Türkiye’s environmental efforts and achievements in 2023.
– International Zero Waste Day noticed for 1st time
“International Zero Waste Day” was first noticed on March 30, after Türkiye submitted a decision to the 77th UN General Assembly titled “Promoting zero waste practices to achieve sustainable development goals.”
First girl Emine Erdoğan mentioned at a particular session of International Zero Waste Day, which she attended as a particular visitor of the UN secretary-general, that via the Zero Waste mission, the nation has saved 650 million tons of uncooked supplies and prevented 4 million tons of greenhouse fuel emissions by recycling thousands and thousands of tons of waste.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the Global Zero Waste Goodwill Declaration, led by his spouse, inside the scope of the 78th UN General Assembly held in New York in September. First girl Emine Erdoğan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres additionally signed the declaration of goodwill to advertise the “Zero Waste Project” globally.
– 1st UN Zero Waste Advisory Board assembly
The first assembly of the UN Zero Waste Advisory Board chaired by Emine Erdoğan upon the proposal of Guterres was held on-line on July 27. At the primary assembly, it was determined to take steps to help native and nationwide zero-waste initiatives, disseminate worldwide good practices and success tales, and share information with totally different nations and sectors.
Board members got here collectively within the first assembly held face-to-face on the Vahdettin Mansion in Istanbul on Oct. 1.
– Rainfall and temperature information
Türkiye, which confronted drought threats all year long, had acquired the bottom January rainfall within the final 22 years. Precipitation decreased 52% in comparison with a traditional January and 62% in comparison with the identical month in 2022.
While excessive temperature information had been damaged in 63 areas in May and August when the common temperature was 27.1 C (80.7 F), it was the second-hottest August within the final 53 years, and November, when the common temperature was 12.5 C, it was the second-hottest month within the final 53 years.
– President Erdoğan attended COP28
President Erdoğan attended the twenty eighth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28). Speaking on the World Climate Action Summit in Expo City in Dubai, inside the scope of the summit, Erdoğan mentioned: “Although our historical responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions is below 1%, we are taking very important steps using our own means. We foresee to achieve the net zero emission target by 2053.”
– Updated National Contribution Declaration
Türkiye up to date its National Contribution Declaration, which incorporates greenhouse fuel emission discount targets within the context of combating local weather change and is a milestone within the implementation of the Paris Agreement and submitted it to the UN Secretariat on April 15. Thus, an essential step was taken by Türkiye to realize the Paris Agreement targets, and a roadmap was developed for nationwide actions on local weather change.
It was declared that Türkiye will cut back greenhouse fuel emissions by 41% in comparison with the reference state of affairs by 2030, with emissions peaking in 2038 on the newest.
– Adaptation technique and motion plans
In the sphere of greenhouse fuel emission discount and local weather change adaptation, two separate motion plans had been developed: the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan (2023-2030) and the Climate Change Mitigation Action Plan (2023-2030). The important purpose of the Climate Change Mitigation Action Plan was introduced as assembly the discount goal set by the up to date National Contribution Declaration.
Agriculture and meals safety, business, power, city, water useful resource administration, biodiversity and ecosystem companies, public well being, tourism and cultural heritage, transportation and communication, social growth, and catastrophe threat discount are all included within the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan. Strategic targets and adaptation actions had been decided because of vulnerability and threat analyses for 11 sectors.
– Istanbul hosted World Cities Day occasions
The 2023 World Cities Day program, with the theme “Financing a Sustainable Urban Future for Everyone,” was held in Istanbul on the finish of October, and took part by first girl Emine Erdoğan and Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister Mehmet Ozhaseki.
– Türkiye Environment Week celebrated with ‘Clean Sea, Clean World’ theme
Türkiye Environment Week, whose actions are organized by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, was celebrated at first of June with the theme “Clean Sea, Clean World.”
During occasions, the significance of stopping marine air pollution and defending coastal areas in 81 provinces was emphasised.
– Renewable power
Wind power manufacturing set a brand new file in renewable power. On March 11, Türkiye’s wind power manufacturing reached an all-time excessive of 212,931 megawatt hours, with wind energy vegetation rating first with a 26.3% share of electrical energy manufacturing.
– National Water Efficiency Mobilization
In Türkiye, which is experiencing water stress resulting from local weather change, the “Water efficiency mobilization” was launched on Jan. 31 at a gathering held on the Presidential Complex, with the targets of stopping water losses in properties, workplaces, and business, making a authorized infrastructure, utilizing fashionable irrigation strategies in agriculture, and elevating public consciousness. During the introductory assembly, a “Water Efficiency Strategy Document and Action Plan Document” was introduced as a part of the variation to local weather change framework.
In March, the General Directorate of Water Management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry printed the “Water Efficiency Target and Implementation Guide in Buildings,” ready with the intention of attaining 25% water financial savings in buildings.
– Agriculture and forestry developments
While the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s efforts to scale back the usage of hazardous chemical substances in agriculture proceed, the variety of energetic substances banned in plant safety merchandise elevated to 223 with the addition of six substances.
The National Pollinator Protection Strategy and Action Plan (UTSEP) established targets reminiscent of figuring out pollinator insect species essential to agriculture and animal husbandry and making certain their safety and continuity.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry created threat maps utilizing related information as a part of the substitute intelligence-supported “Fire Risk Management Project,” which was carried out to foretell forest fires and take the mandatory precautions.
The National Afforestation Day occasion was celebrated on Nov. 11 with the slogan “Breath for the Future, Breath for the Republic” on the event of the one centesimal anniversary of the Turkish Republic. As a part of the celebrations, “5 million 2023” saplings had been planted in 2023 areas in 81 provinces.
– ‘Green Nobel’ prize for Turkish citizen
For the primary time, a Turkish citizen was deemed deserving of the Goldman Environmental Prize, also called the “Green Nobel” resulting from its status amongst environmental awards given around the globe. The prize is awarded yearly to folks from six international areas who work to guard the atmosphere.
Zafer Kizilkaya, chairman of the board of administrators of the Mediterranean Conservation Association, acquired the award at a ceremony on April 24 for his combat towards poaching at sea in addition to his efforts to guard and monitor the ecosystem via the ranger system in particular environmental safety zones, significantly the Gokova Special Environmental Protection Zone.
– Other research in environmental discipline
The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change carried out 67,381 inspections throughout Türkiye within the first 9 months of the yr, and fines totaling greater than 950 million liras (about $32.5 million) had been imposed on 4,317 services and 25 marine vessels that polluted the atmosphere.
The year-end goal of 5% for wastewater reuse was exceeded as of June and reached 5.2%.
The Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) introduced environmental safety expenditure statistics for 2022 within the final month of 2023.
Accordingly, environmental safety expenditures in Türkiye elevated 111.4% on an annual foundation in 2022, reaching 140.3 billion liras (roughly $4.8 billion).
Source: www.anews.com.tr