Call from 17 climate organizations: Turkey's climate target should be revised

17 civil society and think tank organizations working in the field of the climate crisis announced the economic benefits that updating Turkey's emission reduction targets would bring to the country at a press conference held today. 

The organizations hosting a panel made a joint call to the government ahead of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which will begin in Dubai on November 30. They expressed that, for Turkey to achieve its net-zero target by 2053, it should aim for at least a 35% absolute emission reduction by 2030 compared to the year 2020.

The panel titled "Economic Benefits of Climate Goals and Green Transformation" was organized as part of the campaign initiated by NGOs last year. Participants in the panel included Prof. Dr. Ebru Voyvoda from the Department of Economics at METU, Ümit Şahin, the Climate Change Studies Coordinator at the Istanbul Policy Center (IPC), Bengisu Özenç, the Director of the Sustainable Economy and Finance Research Association (SEFiA), and Funda Gacal, Senior Advisor on Health and Energy Policies at the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) Turkey.

35 percent reduction in emissions

In their call to the government, the organizations highlighted that every minute lost makes Turkey more vulnerable to the climate crisis. They listed the benefits to the Turkish economy that would result from updating emission reduction targets and taking concrete steps to achieve these targets as follows:

• The transition to renewable energy can reduce inflation: According to SEFiA's report, if more electricity is generated from solar and wind, consumer inflation can be reduced by 7 points. 
• Energy self-sufficiency can be achieved:  Turkey, which imports 78% of its fossil fuels, becomes dependent on other countries and vulnerable to energy crises. Since October 2021, when Turkey ratified the Paris Agreement, the country has spent 175 billion dollars on importing fossil fuels, including coal, gas, and oil. However, according to EMBER's study, electricity generated from solar and wind in Turkey prevented nearly 7 billion dollars of energy imports in one year, almost equivalent to one month's energy import. By phasing out coal by 2030, it is possible to increase the current domestic production share in electricity generation from 60% to 70%
• Energy costs would decrease: According to SEFiA's report, if Turkey had implemented the planned solar and energy projects in 2022, the cost of electricity production would have decreased by 11.8%
• New employment opportunities will be created: According to the International Energy Agency's report, updating Turkey's emission reduction target will create new employment opportunities. Solar and wind energy investments have the potential to create employment five times more than coal
• There will be opportunity to combat unemployment and poverty: According to the TÜBİTAK project report prepared by Boğaziçi University academics, the green growth model could increase national income by 7% compared to a scenario where nothing is done. Moreover, in this model, employment and income increase more in low-income regions compared to high-income regions
• Reduction in health problems and public costs:  According to HEAL's report, coal-fired thermal power plants operating in Turkey for 55 years are estimated to have caused at least 200,000 premature deaths and at least 320 billion euros in health costs.
  High-tech, value-added investment areas focusing on wind and solar power develop: According to IPC's "Co-Benefits" study, increasing the capacity of electricity generation from solar and wind will expand the related value chain in industrial production. Additional capacity of 15-25 GW in solar energy can increase production from 0.8 billion dollars to 6.8 - 11.3 billion dollars. 
• Establishment of an economy compatible with global net zero transformation: Since EU countries aim to end the sale of new vehicles running on petrol by 2035 at the latest, an increase in electric-based sectors is expected. Diesel and gasoline car parts account for 11% of Turkey's environmental product exports as of 2020. The EU Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism in 2026 will affect the iron and steel sector, which is the 3rd largest foreign trade item. With a net-zero industrial strategy, Turkey's position in these sectors can be maintained
• Increased access to global climate finance: By committing to ambitious climate actions, Turkey can seize the opportunity to access financing for the transition to a low-carbon economy, such as funds for a just transition. 

Calling organizations: World Wildlife Fund Turkey (WWF-Turkey), Aegean Forest Foundation, Greenpeace Mediterranean, HEAL Health and Environment Alliance, Climate Change Policy and Research Association (İDPAD), INGEV, İstanbul Policy Center (İPM), Sustainable Economy and Finance Research Association (SEFiA), TEMA Foundation, Green Thought Association, YUVA, Climate Action Network Europe (CAN Europe), Beyond Fossil Fuels, Climate for Turkey, Climate Pioneers, Youth for Climate Turkey, Yuvam Dünya Association. 

(TY/PE)