Within the scope of the "Carbon Neutral Cities on the Path to Green Development" project carried out by the General Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the total amount of wooded green areas in 81 provinces is 99,485 hectares, per capita the amount of wooded green area was measured as 12.63 square meters.

Wooded green areas, which were not previously included in the inventory, were identified by the project in 81 provincial centers and districts, and their economic values regarding carbon dioxide retention were revealed.

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Mehmet Özhaseki, shared insights regarding the project and said that they are continuing their work determinedly in line with the 2053 Net Zero Emission and Green Development Revolution targets set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Özhaseki said: "In this sense, we have also determined the economic value of cities' wooded green areas and carbon dioxide retention. We will continue to increase the amount of green areas per capita, especially in our city centers, where the majority of carbon emissions occur. We will make our country green with green corridors, public gardens and parks."

Wooded areas, especially in cities in Türkiye, provide great benefits in the fight against climate change with their carbon dioxide storage feature, as well as their positive economic, ecological and sociological effects on society.

City centers are responsible for 70% of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, it is important to neutralize these gases in the area close to their source.

Within the scope of the project implemented in this context, the spatial and areal distribution of green areas as well as their economic value regarding carbon dioxide retention were determined.

With the project, nature-based solutions in the fight against climate change were highlighted. In order to strengthen Türkiye's green infrastructure, green areas such as forests, wetlands, reeds, coastal areas, as well as parks in cities, urban forests, other open and green areas, street afforestation, green wall and green roof applications, and sports fields are included in the sink area inventory.

Thus, carbon sink areas in 81 provinces and all districts, which were not previously included in the inventory, were revealed. In addition, the wooded areas per person in settlements were calculated in square meters and the carbon dioxide retention capacities and economic values of these areas were revealed.

The carbon dioxide retention amount of wooded areas was calculated as 1.12 million tons annually, and the economic value was calculated as $57.2 million annually.