A New Era In Türkiye’s Climate Policy With The Paris Agreement

Türkiye is expected to set new targets and prepare action plans for reducing emissions after ratifying the Paris Agreement

A total of 15 institutions working on climate change in Türkiye, including TEMA, WWF-Türkiye, Sustainable Economy and Finance Research Association, 350.org, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, and Climate Change Policy and Research Association, made a joint statement after the proposal on Paris Agreement was adopted. In the statement, it was indicated that with the adoption of the net-zero emission target by 2053, Türkiye will enter a new era in its climate policy. The following comments were made in the statement: “In order to reach the target for 2053, it is expected to determine emission reduction targets in the short term and to prepare new action plans in the fields of energy, industry, transportation, building, agriculture, waste, and use of natural assets. Türkiye ranks 16th among the countries that cause the most greenhouse gas emissions around the world, and its emission level per capita is increasing day by day. In order for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Türkiye must first set short-term climate targets that will cover the period until 2053.” It was also stated that the steps to be taken to combat climate change would bring benefits such as employment, clean air, and technological development, and it was stated that national income could increase by 7 per cent through an active climate policy. Encouraging countries to work together for limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees and zeroing greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the Paris Agreement was adopted at the 21st UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 21) in 2015. Türkiye signed the agreement on April 22, 2016.