Türkiye has prepared climate change mitigation and adaptation action plans that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 41% by 2030 and make the country more resilient to climate change, according to Directorate of Climate Change head Halil Hasar.

This falls under the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan, which outlines strategic goals and adaptation measures for 11 sectors.

Türkiye is a party to the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit the global average temperature increase by 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), with the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by mid-century, and this includes peaking global emissions as soon as possible.

The National Contribution Declarations (NDCs), central to the Paris Agreement and the pursuit of long-term climate objectives, consist of voluntary commitments by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to climate change according to their unique circumstances.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Hasar emphasized Türkiye's commitment to addressing climate change through the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan (2023-2030) and the Climate Change Mitigation Action Plan (2023). He explained that two separate action plans were prepared, each with a focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing climate resilience.

He underscored that while the two complementary action plans cover different sectors and approaches to climate change, they share a common objective: setting key and priority targets in the fight against climate change.

The Climate Change Mitigation Action Plan aims to achieve a 41% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, as determined by the updated National Contribution Declaration, while also bolstering Türkiye's resilience to climate change. The plan outlines targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction in seven sectors: energy, industry, buildings, transportation, agriculture, waste, and land use and forestry.

Hasar provided insight into the strategic targets outlined in sector-specific studies within the plan. Notable objectives include the promotion of the Almost Zero Energy Building (NZEB) concept for newly constructed buildings and the expansion of electric vehicle use and public transportation systems in the transportation sector. The plan also prioritizes the transition to a circular economy, particularly in the industry, agriculture and waste sectors, as a means to improve industrial efficiency, reduce waste and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

To combat methane emissions in agriculture, the plan includes measures to manage livestock waste and promote its use as an energy source, particularly in organized biogas facilities. Hasar highlighted plans for transforming industrial production processes and the creation of support and incentive mechanisms across various sectors. Additionally, an Emission Trading System will be established in Türkiye to enhance emission reduction measures, particularly in emission-intensive industrial activities, and to provide a financial framework for green transformation and climate change initiatives in the industry.

Hasar emphasized the importance of protecting and enhancing carbon sink areas, including forests and wetlands, to offset greenhouse gas emissions that cannot be reduced and achieve the net-zero emissions target.

The National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan, on the other hand, encompasses vulnerability and risk analyses conducted across 11 sectors, including disaster risk reduction.

Hasar highlighted the inclusion of agriculture and food security, industry, energy, city planning, water resources management, biodiversity and ecosystem services, public health, tourism and cultural heritage, transportation and communication, and social development in the plan.

Within the city planning domain, the plan outlines three categories of actions: technological, social and nature-based.

Technological actions encompass initiatives like green roofs, building materials and infrastructure development. Social actions include education, capacity building, legislative changes, coordination, cooperation and planning. Nature-based actions involve increasing green spaces, protecting existing ecosystems, creating ecological corridors, promoting urban agriculture practices and implementing rainwater collection systems.

In the realm of water resources management, the plan strives to continue basin protection efforts, increase treated wastewater capacity and raise the reuse rate to 15% by 2030. It also aims to expand access to safe drinking water networks and implement efficiency-enhancing practices in agricultural irrigation.

Addressing agriculture and food security, Hasar stressed the goal of establishing a resilient agricultural sector that effectively employs technology, considers basin-specific product patterns and water budgets, and adapts to climate change.

The plan aims to mitigate factors threatening biodiversity and ecosystem services, such as habitat fragmentation, pollution and overuse, by adopting nature-based solutions. These include increasing protected areas, restoring damaged ecosystems, and prioritizing preventive measures in combating forest fires.

Within the context of public health, the plan focuses on monitoring climate-sensitive diseases and revising occupational health and safety legislation to align with climate change effects.

Hasar revealed that the Climate Change Mitigation Action Plan (2023-2030) and the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan (2023-2030) have been under development for a year, with the collaboration of nearly 200 stakeholder institutions.

He added that these action plans are expected to be published after submission to the Change and Compliance Coordination Board and subsequent approval.