Turkey's climate presentation draws ire from environmental groups at UN meeting
Protesters, holding banners, marched in Copenhagen as ministers strived to break a deadlock in global climate talks on Tuesday, three days before world leaders are meant to agree on a new UN pact aimed at averting climate change.
16 December 2009 / YONCA POYRAZ DOĞAN, COPENHAGEN
Turkey has made its presence felt at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15) with a presentation on its climate change strategy, a presentation which has drawn much ire from environmental civil society groups, which say their views were not taken into consideration.
“We have clearly seen that environmental organizations do not have a place in the government's decision making process,” said Devin Bahçeci from the Greens of Turkey.
Bahçeci, who watched the Turkish delegation's presentation at a side event late on Monday afternoon at the Bella Center, where the climate change conference is taking place, told Today's Zaman that Turkey has not revealed its future targets for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that are blamed for causing climate change. “Tuvalu shouts but Turkey just talks,” he said in reference to the tiny island state that drove a wedge in the bloc of developing nations at the UN climate talks on Dec. 9 by calling on China, India and other emerging giants to take on legally binding commitments to slash carbon dioxide pollution.
Turkey’s emission reduction target is 7 percent in the energy sector by 2020 if current reduction efforts continue, according to its national strategy document. Several environmental organizations have stated numerous times that Turkey’s target should be at least a 30 percent reduction by 2020 considering the fact that its emissions have risen quickly, from 170 million tons in 1990 to 372 million tons in 2007 as its annual per capita income rose from $3,000 in 1990 to $10,000 in 2007.
A member of the 115-person Turkish delegation, Fulya Somunkıranoğlu from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry’s Air Management Department, speaking at the event, said Turkey is located in the Mediterranean Basin, an area that is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
She went on to explain Turkey’s national stance within the framework of international climate change negotiations. The strategy includes encouraging “renewable sources and nuclear energy.” Environmental organizations point out, however, that Turkey has also indicated that it will continue to use a national resource, coal, a fossil fuel that hinders fighting climate change.
“How can Turkey continue to use coal and at the same time talk about increasing the use of renewable energy sources?” asked Bahçeci.
He made a number of other points in the questions he asked at the end of the presentation, but Somunkıranoğlu said she would discuss those issues later, not at the event.
Engin Güvenç from the Business Council for Sustainable Development presented the views of the business world on behalf of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TÜSİAD) and UTES, a civil society initiative established by the private sector to learn from the British experience in facing climate change.
“We are all here at COP15 to discuss the strategic integration of climate resilience on a global scope. So, Turkish business is discussing the same issue on a national level with all its stakeholders,” she said.
Another business representative was Hülya Özbudun from the Automotive Manufacturers’ Association (OSD). She said Turkey is the 15th largest producer of cars in the world and the fifth largest in Europe. She received applause from the audience when she said the production and use of automotives has a negative impact on the environment and that it is the industry’s duty to reduce the environmental impact.
Yeşim Erkan, a representative from the Turkish Foundation for Reforestation, Protection of Natural Habitats and Combating Soil Erosion (TEMA), speaking to Today’s Zaman following the event, said she was disappointed with the delegation’s presentation.
“Once more we saw that Turkey does not have a clear position at the climate talks and the environmental NGOs are out of its processes,” she said.
The delegation’s representatives, on the other hand, said they always have meetings with environmental NGOs.
Another criticism came from Mahir Ilgaz, the European Union environmental policy expert at the Economic Development Foundation (İKV). He said Turkey’s strategy document is not new and lacks crucial emission reduction targets, which means it does not match the goals of the EU, a club Turkey wishes to join.
Other people making presentations at the event were Atilla Uras from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Turkey office, Oğuz Can from the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Gediz Kaya from the Carbon Platform of Turkey.
Top officials present at the event were Lütfü Akçalı, Hasan Sarıkaya, Sedat Kadıoğlu and Mustafa Şahin from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Haluk Özdalga, the chairman of Parliament’s Environmental Commission. Ambassador Mithat Rende from the Foreign Ministry is conducting negotiations at the conference on behalf of Turkey. President Abdullah Gül will participate in the conference on Thursday and Friday.
Bahçeci, who watched the Turkish delegation's presentation at a side event late on Monday afternoon at the Bella Center, where the climate change conference is taking place, told Today's Zaman that Turkey has not revealed its future targets for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that are blamed for causing climate change. “Tuvalu shouts but Turkey just talks,” he said in reference to the tiny island state that drove a wedge in the bloc of developing nations at the UN climate talks on Dec. 9 by calling on China, India and other emerging giants to take on legally binding commitments to slash carbon dioxide pollution.
Turkey’s emission reduction target is 7 percent in the energy sector by 2020 if current reduction efforts continue, according to its national strategy document. Several environmental organizations have stated numerous times that Turkey’s target should be at least a 30 percent reduction by 2020 considering the fact that its emissions have risen quickly, from 170 million tons in 1990 to 372 million tons in 2007 as its annual per capita income rose from $3,000 in 1990 to $10,000 in 2007.
A member of the 115-person Turkish delegation, Fulya Somunkıranoğlu from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry’s Air Management Department, speaking at the event, said Turkey is located in the Mediterranean Basin, an area that is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
She went on to explain Turkey’s national stance within the framework of international climate change negotiations. The strategy includes encouraging “renewable sources and nuclear energy.” Environmental organizations point out, however, that Turkey has also indicated that it will continue to use a national resource, coal, a fossil fuel that hinders fighting climate change.
“How can Turkey continue to use coal and at the same time talk about increasing the use of renewable energy sources?” asked Bahçeci.
He made a number of other points in the questions he asked at the end of the presentation, but Somunkıranoğlu said she would discuss those issues later, not at the event.
‘Businesses have a voice, not environmental groups’
The event also featured presentations from business sector representatives, another factor angering Turkey’s environmental nongovernmental organizations because they said they should also have a say in the government’s strategy.Engin Güvenç from the Business Council for Sustainable Development presented the views of the business world on behalf of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TÜSİAD) and UTES, a civil society initiative established by the private sector to learn from the British experience in facing climate change.
“We are all here at COP15 to discuss the strategic integration of climate resilience on a global scope. So, Turkish business is discussing the same issue on a national level with all its stakeholders,” she said.
Another business representative was Hülya Özbudun from the Automotive Manufacturers’ Association (OSD). She said Turkey is the 15th largest producer of cars in the world and the fifth largest in Europe. She received applause from the audience when she said the production and use of automotives has a negative impact on the environment and that it is the industry’s duty to reduce the environmental impact.
Yeşim Erkan, a representative from the Turkish Foundation for Reforestation, Protection of Natural Habitats and Combating Soil Erosion (TEMA), speaking to Today’s Zaman following the event, said she was disappointed with the delegation’s presentation.
“Once more we saw that Turkey does not have a clear position at the climate talks and the environmental NGOs are out of its processes,” she said.
The delegation’s representatives, on the other hand, said they always have meetings with environmental NGOs.
Another criticism came from Mahir Ilgaz, the European Union environmental policy expert at the Economic Development Foundation (İKV). He said Turkey’s strategy document is not new and lacks crucial emission reduction targets, which means it does not match the goals of the EU, a club Turkey wishes to join.
Other people making presentations at the event were Atilla Uras from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Turkey office, Oğuz Can from the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Gediz Kaya from the Carbon Platform of Turkey.
Top officials present at the event were Lütfü Akçalı, Hasan Sarıkaya, Sedat Kadıoğlu and Mustafa Şahin from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Haluk Özdalga, the chairman of Parliament’s Environmental Commission. Ambassador Mithat Rende from the Foreign Ministry is conducting negotiations at the conference on behalf of Turkey. President Abdullah Gül will participate in the conference on Thursday and Friday.
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