Seven organizations working on climate crisis released a joint press statement evaluating the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) and Turkey's stance.
Issued by WWF-Turkey (World Wildlife Fund), Greenpeace Mediterranean, İstanbul Policy Center, Sustainable Economy and Finance Research Association (SEFiA), Green Thought Association, Climate Leaders, Beyond Fossil Fuels, and European Climate Action Network, the statement considers the COP28 Climate Summit that concluded on December 13 as historic due to signaling the end of the fossil fuel era.
The statement evaluating the summit that concluded on December 13 made a call to Turkey to seize this transformation.
COP28 has been the first summit explicitly addressing fossil fuels in the decision text and countries were called upon, albeit with a weak expression, to move away from the use of fossil fuels in their energy systems.
Another positive aspect of the summit was clarifying the global target to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. On the other hand, the decision text includes obstacles to a complete departure from fossil fuels, such as financial shortages and misguided solution proposals such as nuclear, carbon storage, and transitional fuels that postpone solutions.
Climate goal of Turkey
Turkey did not sign many declarations, including commitments to renewable energy and energy efficiency, prepared to strongly combat the climate crisis.
Turkey's climate goals 'critically insufficient'
The country expressed its intention to benefit from the Loss and Damage Fund created for climate crisis-related disasters. However, as a member of the world's 20 most developed countries (G20), Turkey, ranking as the 15th highest emitter of greenhouse gases globally, has not yet updated its climate target, which aims to increase national greenhouse gas emissions by more than 30% by 2030.
According to the summit decision, parties need to update their national climate goals for 2030 in line with the Paris Agreement by the end of 2024. Turkey, which has a vision of becoming a net-zero emissions country by 2053, should start reducing greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible and aim for a minimum of 35% absolute emission reduction by 2030 compared to 2020.
Initiatives Turkey is not a part of
COP28 saw the participation of numerous countries in many initiatives, but Turkey was not part of several of them:
Global Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Commitment: 130 countries pledged to triple renewable energy and double the pace of energy efficiency efforts by 2030.
Gender-Sensitive Just Transition and Climate Action Partnership: 76 countries issued a statement on gender-sensitive climate justice.
Climate, Aid, Recovery, and Peace Declaration: 80 countries made a collaboration call to enhance climate change adaptation and resilience.
Global Cooling Commitment: 66 countries aim to globally reduce emissions from cooling technologies in all sectors by at least 68% by 2050 compared to 2022 levels.
Hydrogen Declaration: 37 countries aim to develop the global renewable and low-carbon hydrogen market and certification programs.
Leaders Declaration on the Global Climate Finance Framework: Aims to transform global finance to be in line with ambitious climate action.
Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA): Seven more countries joined the alliance established in 2017, committing to phase out coal. Turkey became one of the five European countries not joining the alliance, along with Poland, Bulgaria, Malta, and Romania.
Declaration on Climate, Nature, and Society: 18 countries announced a joint decision for the integrated planning and implementation of national climate, biodiversity, and land restoration plans and strategies.
Resilience Finance Coalition: A coalition of 13 countries announced collaboration to facilitate access to resilience finance and increase all resilience finance sources.
Declarations signed by Turkey
Declarations signed by Turkey at COP28 include:
Climate and Health Declaration: 143 countries pledged to establish systems for addressing the impacts of climate change on health for the first time.
Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action Declaration: 158 countries committed to protecting food production and producers against the impacts of climate change.
Coalition for High-Ambition Multilevel Partnerships for Climate Action (CHAMP): 65 countries aim to collaborate with local governments and municipalities in the planning, financing, implementation, and monitoring of climate strategies. (TY/PE)
