A first in Turkey! Climate law is coming! Minister Murat Kurum: A new breath is coming to our struggle!

Climate Law (Takvim.com.tr)

CLIMATE CHANGE PROVINCIAL COORDINATION BOARDS WILL BE ESTABLISHED A Provincial Climate Change Coordination Board will be established in each province, chaired by the governor and consisting of representatives from relevant institutions and organizations and local governments. The working procedures and principles of the board will be determined by the Ministry. Local Climate Change Action Plans will be prepared by 31 December 2027 at the latest. The Ministry may extend this period up to one year.

LOCAL PLANS WILL BE PREPARED UNDER THE GOVERNOR’S DIRECTORATE Local climate change action plans; will be prepared or have prepared under the coordination of the governor in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change in a holistic manner for each province; with the participation of the metropolitan municipality in metropolitan cities, the provincial municipality and special provincial administration in other provinces, and the relevant institutions and organizations. They will be submitted to the Provincial Climate Change Coordination Board for a decision. Sectoral vulnerability and risk analyses; will be prepared and updated periodically by the Presidency using climate models to form the basis for strategy and action plans.

Climate Law (Takvim.com.tr)

TURKEY GREEN TAXONOMY WILL BE ESTABLISHED The Climate Change Presidency will prepare national, sectoral and thematic reports. It will develop climate change incentive mechanisms to facilitate the direction of financial resources and will establish and implement the Turkey Green Taxonomy. Within the framework of circular economy targets and zero waste practices, the reuse of products, the use of waste as by-products, alternative raw materials and the mandatory usage rates of products obtained through recycling and recovery will be determined.

BORDER CARBON REGULATION MECHANISM A Border Carbon Regulation Mechanism (BCMR) may be established to address the embodied greenhouse gas emissions of imported goods in the Turkish Customs Territory. The reporting, scope, content, procedures and principles regarding BCMR will be determined by the Ministry of Trade in coordination with the relevant ministries.

THE USE OF CLEAN TECHNOLOGY WILL BE EXPANDED In the planning and implementation tools prepared by the relevant institutions and organizations, increasing technological self-sufficiency capacity will be determined as the primary goal and the development and expansion of the use of clean technologies will be the basis. The Presidency will be authorized to cooperate with the relevant institutions for the follow-up of new technological developments aimed at combating climate change, such as carbon capture and storage technologies, hydrogen technology, and the development of projects in these areas, to direct the institutions to carry out studies in these areas and to coordinate with the relevant institutions. Institutes and research and application centers may be established in coordination with the relevant institutions affiliated to the Presidency.

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum (Calendar Photo Archive)

CLIMATE CHANGE AND GREEN TRANSFORMATION WILL BE ADDED TO SCHOOL CURRICULUMS Education and awareness programs will be organized to increase public awareness and sensitize society to the effects of climate change. Necessary studies for updating curriculum and teaching programs at all levels of education and training of green workforce will be carried out by the Ministry of National Education and the Council of Higher Education in coordination with relevant ministries. The procedures and principles of the applications will be determined by public institutions and organizations after receiving the opinion of the Ministry.

EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS AGAINST DISASTERS AND FOOD SECURITY In order to ensure food security with a climate change resistant product pattern, nature-based solutions that will observe the balance between the protection and use of natural resources, ecosystems and biodiversity and climate change resistant applications will be disseminated. In order to reduce the losses and damages caused by disasters related to climate change, risk assessment, monitoring, information and early warning systems will be developed based on integrated disaster management.

Calendar Photo Archive

WATER MANAGEMENT AND LAND DESTRUCTION WILL BE BALANCED In order to balance emissions towards achieving the net zero emission target, relevant institutions and organizations will take measures to prevent carbon sink losses in forests, agriculture, pastures and wetlands. Effective management of water resources will be ensured against the effects of climate change. The quality and rate of marine and terrestrial protected areas will be increased.

ACTION PLANS WILL BE PREPARED BY 31 DECEMBER 2027. The preparation and adaptation obligations regarding the implementation and planning tools specified in the bill will be fulfilled by the relevant institutions and organizations by 31 December 2027 at the latest. The President will be authorized to extend this period for up to one year.