Wind Power, Datca - Sustainable Tourism

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/10307763.asp?scr=1

"...Datca will gain a new silhouette with the construction of windmills..."

-Çağla Balcı Eriş, carbon development manager, Demirer Holidng

Sustainable Management of Istanbul Local e-waste

Life Smile Project: local recycling program for old computers and other electronics

http://www.ibb.gov.tr/sites/lifesmile/Documents/smilewebson2en.html

Recycling Computers in Istanbul

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/new-computer-recycling-program-in-istanbul.php

Green Bazaar in Istanbul?

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/first-organic-farmers-market-in-istanbul.php

Tukey's policies on climate change

The climate may change, but Turkey’s policies do not

Even though the first-ever comprehensive study on climate change in Turkey has shown alarming results, Turkish institutions have neither adopted significant measures nor produced more studies to better understand the phenomenon.

According to projections made by İstanbul Technical University's Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences (EIES), most of Turkey in the last 10 years of this century will face drastically increased temperatures. This is especially true for summer months, when thermometers show an increase of between three and five degrees Celsius depending on the region compared to the period between 1961 and 1990. However, Professor Nüzhet Dalfes, who is among the scientists who prepared the climate change report for Turkey, says we should expect confusing signals over the next 20-30 years, as there will be years when there is more rain and there will be other years when there are more days of hot weather. He said nobody should be fooled by a few years of variation in rainfall or hot spells and people should not conclude that "global warming is a joke" nor that "the climate has changed and it is going to destroy the world," because the important thing is the long-term trends. If global temperatures continue to rise at the predicted levels, a five-degree increase that is likely to occur by the end of the century will dramatically change the way people live. Internationally recognized scientists have made it clear that millions of people will face water shortages, cereal production will decrease, coastal floods will create environmental refugees, species will increasingly face extinction and the world will see increased mortality from heat waves, floods and droughts. "The warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level," according to the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), released in 2007. Turkey cannot escape the global trend. Dalfes says there are various models on which to base predictions, but they have chosen one that will produce an extreme scenario. He said their study was completed in February with support from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) and it was a step toward fulfilling Turkey’s obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Most countries joined the UNFCCC more than a decade ago to figure out what could be done to reduce global warming and to cope with inevitable temperature increases. Turkey finally joined the UNFCCC as the 189th member country in 2004. Early last year the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry submitted the country’s first national communication, including a greenhouse gas inventory, to the UNFCCC, describing economic, demographic and energy developments. “Turkey has been late in joining the climate change debate and studying climate change and its effects, but serious projection work has begun with this analysis,” he said. So Dalfes and 11 other scientists took the IPCC’s global climate change projections and analyzed it to obtain high-resolution climate change scenarios for Turkey up until the end of the century. Rise of five to six degrees year round by century’s end The results show regional variations in seasonal surface temperatures and precipitation in Turkey. And, as Dalfes pointed out, there are confusing signals. For example, summer months in southeastern Turkey between 2011 and 2020 will see temperature escalation of 0.5 to 1.5 degrees relative to the period between 1961 and 1990, while western and northwestern Turkey show a 0.5 degree decrease in the thermometer for the same period in June, July and August. On the other hand, the projection shows Turkey getting significantly warmer toward the end of the century, starting in 2061. In the period from 2061 to 2070, in the winter months of December, January and February, western Turkey is estimated to be two degrees hotter, while the middle of the country, the eastern Black Sea region and part of the Southeast will see a rise of roughly 2 to 2.5 degrees and the mid-sections of the eastern part of the country will see a 3 degree increase. At the end of the century, from 2091 to 2099, for the same winter months, alarm bells ring in all seasons, though some regions are hotter than others. At that point, the rise in temperatures is projected to reach five to six degrees in all seasons throughout the country. Dalfes said precipitation will not likely stop altogether, but it may come in the form of rain instead of snow, bringing serious consequences for waterworks. “It will be imperative to reserve water in winter. The planning of water resources will be of the utmost importance,” he said, adding that the severity of the consequences will depend on how proactive Turkey is and what measures it takes. While mapping out climate change predictions for Turkey, scientists used the country’s most powerful computer, located at the National Center for High Performance Computing at İstanbul Technical University. It can process up to 6 billion basic operations in a second. Dalfes said even that supercomputer, which has more than 500 terabytes of disc capacity, is not enough to study climate change in any more depth, because it can’t handle more data if more models are studied. “There are 15 to 20 models used in climate change studies, and we have chosen to go over a bad scenario because we wanted to see the maximum impact,” he said, adding that climate change is a dynamic area and that several studies are needed to make better projections and realistic recommendations. They submitted the report to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in spring of this year. All results of this and ongoing studies will be made available through the EIES Web site in the near future, Dalfes said. New funding to support Turkey’s adaptation capacity Thanks to a grant from the Spanish government to further the United Nation’s “millennium development goals,” Turkey will have a chance to improve its capacity to understand climate change, its effects and the measures necessary to combat it. Turkey is to receive $7.5 million as part of the project, titled “Enhancing the capacity of Turkey to adapt to climate change.” Developed by the UN country team in Turkey, the program has noted: “As part of the southern belt of Mediterranean Europe, the country is already facing an observed warming trend in temperatures and a decreasing trend in precipitation. … Economic losses from flooding and landslides as a proportion of GDP [gross domestic product] have historically been among the highest in Turkey compared to other countries in Europe and the CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States].” The document also emphasized that Turkey is vulnerable to natural disasters, such as floods, increasing water shortages and land degradation that may further exacerbate existing social and regional disparities in Turkey. The UN document, justifying funding for Turkey’s adaptation to climate change, also indicated that increasing temperatures and decreasing precipitation lead to serious water shortages, particularly in the southern and western parts of the country. Studies will start by Oct. 1 at EIES and they are planned to have an educational dimension to help the various segments of society interpret the results. Dalfes said the project calls for local action: “For example, we will guide the municipalities on how to use their water resources. And, when it comes to farmers, some agricultural practices will have to be changed in light of climate change and we will play a role in that.” Considering the projection that nearly 20 percent of the surface water in some basins will be lost by 2030, he explained that there will be some small grant programs for farmers in the distressed Seyhan basin. ‘Water theft a big problem’ One example of wrongful water usage that Dalfes cited occurs in the Konya basin, where underground water reserves for irrigation have been dwindling. A government-subsidized economy based on sugar beet has been continuing in the region, even though the crop absorbs huge amounts of water. “There is no water in Konya. There are so many illegal water wells. Plus there is what I call ‘water theft’,” Dalfes said, referring to the opening of the Blue Tunnel diverting waters from the Göksu River to irrigate Konya’s fields. But this may cause coastal erosion and dry up the delta. That’s why, Dalfes said, Turkish authorities must completely rethink agricultural policy. He also added that the effects of carrying water from one basin to another are not fully understood and may be dangerous: “There will certainly be negative effects on the ecosystem from which the water is taken. We don’t know what effects, exactly. But this is like unscrewing the bolts while making a plane trip. This makes you nervous.” Turkey’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions in 2003 amounted to 4.1 tons per year, two-and-a-half times lower than the average per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the 25 EU countries at the time. The country’s potential to rapidly increase its emissions is high, however, because it has a large number of development projects. The combined demands of industrialization and urbanization in Turkey increase the country’s energy needs tremendously. Dalfes emphasized that risk management on the face of climate change involves a two-prong approach: adaptation measures, and reducing emissions in large part from burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. In that regard, Turkey’s vast renewable energy resources, such as hydroelectric, wind, geothermal and solar power, come into the picture. However, these make up only a fraction of the total primary energy supply, even though renewable sources represent the second-largest domestic energy source after coal. Regarding renewable energy implementation in Turkey, Tanay Sıdkı Uyar, national coordinator for the Turkish Environmental NGOs Platform (TURÇEP), said the existing decision-making mechanisms limit renewable energy implementation in Turkey by backing up new fossil and nuclear power plants. “Fossil and nuclear energy utilization is the problem, and the solution is energy efficiency and renewable energy implementation. If the size of a problem is increased, the solution becomes very expensive and mostly impossible,” he said. Emphasizing that Turkey has the potential for a 100 percent renewable energy supply, he said Turkey is fortunate compared to other countries in Europe. “This was true 2,000 years ago, it is true today and it will be true in the future,” he said, adding that the technologies of renewable energy are mature enough to supply the electricity and heat needed by the industrial sector and the instrument to b used for this purpose is “feed-in tariffs,” which reimburse citizens or investors for the excess energy produced by solar cells and wind turbines. According to Uyar, who also served as the vice president of EUROSOLAR (European Association for Renewable Energy), Turkey should follow Germany, Denmark and Spain as successful examples of “Renewable Energy Integration.” He said the investors of renewable energy are ready and if the “feed-in tariffs” system is designed accordingly, Turkey can de-carbonize its economy: “Without any other modification, the wind energy potential in Turkey is enough to supply twice the electricity being consumed today. The government is aware of the huge solar and wind energy potential in Turkey.” Projected surface temperature changes in the course of the 21st century for Turkey At the end of the century, Turkey will see a rise of five or six degrees in all seasons throughout the country. Temperatures are relative to the 1961-1990 period.

21.09.2008

News

YONCA POYRAZ DOĞAN

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=15380

Green Star Campaign: Hotels Going Green

30.08.2008
Business
TODAY'S ZAMAN WITH WIRES

‘Green star’ campaign encourages hotels to go green

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has started a campaign to reward environmentally friendly hotels as part of its efforts to improve the quality of service offered.

Taking into consideration issues such as global warming, excessive pollution and the concerns of tourists, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism decided to take action and encourage hotel managers to be more sensitive to the environment. The campaign, with the slogan "Be mindful of the world, your country, your environment and your future," will prioritize hotels that volunteer to participate in the program. Any hotel applying for the "Eco-friendly institution" license, symbolized by a green star, will be required to meet certain measures set by the ministry, including water and energy conservation, cleanliness and 119 other requirements.

This campaign complies with measures determined by the European Union and is therefore expected to be greeted warmly by both local and foreign tourists. Resorts seeking the green star will be required to comply with regulations, including assigning an authorized person to plan and manage environmental protection projects. A special focus will need to be placed on saving energy and water and recycling drain water. Additionally, educating hotel personnel about ecological sensitivity is among the basic measures set by the ministry. Switching to renewable energy sources and harmonizing the hotel/resort buildings with the environment as well as using eco-friendly materials for construction and protecting wildlife around the hotel will give hotels an advantage in the certification process.

http://todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=151655

Sinop Nuclear-free City and Life Association, protests against the Turkish state

Rift between environmentalists and state widens
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

A press conference showing solidarity between environmental organizations was held yesterday at a time when tension between environmentalists and government has been on the rise. The organizations were offering support for a peaceful protest in the northern town of Sinop organized by the Sinop Nuclear-free City and Life Association, or SINYAD, that was shut down by police on Saturday.

The struggles of this local initiative drew the attentions of both national organizations like Ecological Utopias Association, or Ecotopia, and international ones like European Youth for Action, or EYFA, who held a joint press conference in Istanbul yesterday.

During the press conference, Shannon Stephens of EYFA offered solidarity with SINYAD and all other organizations that “request EYFA's assistance.” She told reporters that nuclear energy was “not a green solution, not a carbon safe solution, and it will not make Turkey energy secure,” adding that Turkey should instead invest in alternative energy.

Stephens objected to the prime minister's recent comments about environmentalists, in which he mocked them and claimed to be more environmentally-conscience, telling reporters, “If we seem like we have nothing else to do, it only shows our commitment to the cause and that we are giving up our free time for it.”

SINYAD's struggle

Environmental organizations from 25 different countries as well as 45 environmental activists acting alone offered support to the SINYAD by organizing a protest in front of The Turkish Atomic Energy Authority, or TAEK, which resulted in 33 people including 30 foreigners being arrested.

Protesting nuclear energy in Sinop was not new, especially not for SINYAD. “SINYAD was established 1.5 years ago and in the 69 to 70 weeks since then, we have held protests against nuclear energy every week at downtown's Uğur Mumcu plaza,” SINYAD director Kadir Demir told the Turkish Daily News.

Last Saturday the organization had hoped to protest in front of the TAEK building, but increased security forced them to unfurl their banners in front of the governor's mansion instead. Outside of the designated protest zones, the protesters soon caught the attention of the police, who snatched their banners and arrested the protesters.

Police hostility against the group is commonplace, said Demir, adding: “Even when we are in officially designated protest areas, we still feel hostility from the security forces. They surround us; they record us. Their attitude is very negative.”

After this weekends protest, all members were fined YTL 125 for “resisting arrest,” a charge Demir refuted, saying: “The penalty does not match the crime. We are charged with resisting the police; we never even had a chance to resist the police. They arrived and, with no warning at all, tore the banners from our hands and took us away.” The protesters have yet to pay the penalty fee, which their lawyers are appealing.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=113765

Going Green: AKP and the Environment

Is environmentalism in the national program?
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
FERAİ TINÇ
Hürriyet

The Justice and Development Party, or AKP, government has prepared the draft of the 3rd national program on the European Union bid, put EU reforms back on the agenda again. The understanding of “If there hadn't been Brussels, we could've changed its name and proceed with the reforms program” means nothing and that has been realized finally. So I am pleased to hear that the government included EU-related reforms in its program.But somehow I cannot answer by whom these reforms will be done.Is it possible to put these reforms into practice in the absence of a strong political will? No, it's not. As we see new examples of this unwillingness every day, it is not possible at all.For instance Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan judges environmentalists, both inside and outside. He asserts that environmentalists don't do anything important and describes civil society activities on the subject matter as what dawdlers do. If so, how will he realize reforms in environmental issues so as to have accord with the EU procedures?

Plus, environment is one of the most difficult issues of the negotiation process. I scanned through the national program once again. Among the laws that should be passed in Parliament in a year, there are Nature and Conservation of Biological Diversities Law, Bio-security Law, Framework Agency Law and Framework Water Law.

In short, everything a person does for leisure time is included in this program.

But that's not all.

Adjustment to international afreements

It was also envisaged in the national program that Turkey, within a year, should adopt the bills to keep it in line with international agreements, such as The Bonn Convention, Goteborg, Rotterdam and Aarhus Convention.

The Aarhus Convention points out an obligation about the point where Mr. Prime Minister gets mad at environmentalists protesting the nuclear energy plant.

The agreement regulates rights and obligations on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters.

And there is this secondary regulation, Environmental Evaluation Regulation, proposed for 2007 but has not been adopted.

Among the objectives are evaluation of plans and programs that needs approval by a public authority regarding environmental issues and public participation into this process.

How will this be done? How will Mr. Prime Minister lashing out at environmentalists yesterday do these reforms tomorrow? What kind of political will power will he show for the practice of such reforms?

How to balance the global demands for basic needs

A government can include setting up a nuclear energy plant in its program, but should also should convince “nay” sayers and lay bare convincing justifications for that. As presenting nuclear energy as an inevitable option a government should be aware of clean energy subject and should at least be able to tell people who have respect for the environment and natural sources that adequate efforts are exerted.

The world is taking a new direction. Environment as the most distinctive element in this course gains more importance every day.

The upcoming term will determine the world politics and how the global demand for basic needs, food; water and energy sources will be met.

Protection of environment and getting the most of it in the fame of economic efficiency will take more time of humans.People expecting nothing from the future will perhaps never understand this.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=113614

Turkey fails in environmental protection

Turkey fails in environmental protection
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
ANKARA - Turkish Daily News

Chamber of Environmental Engineers, or ÇMO, and Forestry Ministry could not agree on Turkey's environmental sensitivity. Following Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu's response to Republican People's Party,or CHP, deputy Fevzi Topuz's motion to censure, ÇMO president Yılmaz Kilim chided the ministry speaking to daily Milliyet on Sunday. Kilim, blamed the ministry for using outdated data.

While most waste treatment plant projects are still under construction, the ministry claimed that the majority of waste is disposed of properly by citing a Turkish Statistical Institute's, or TÜİK, 2004 waste report.

“Turkey produces more than 20 million tons of waste in a year,” said Eroğlu. “Approximately 1.2 million tons of the waste is hazardous. Recycled waste constitutes 8 percent of the total amount. While 47 percent are disposed, 45 percent are re-used.”

However, ÇMO president Kilim rejected Eroğlu's statement and said they were still using data from 2004. According to TÜİK's July 2006 bulletin, only 70,041 tons of hazardous waste is disposed of in accordance with regulations.

“In this case, disposal ways of 456,359 tons of waste are unknown,” Kilim said. He also recalled that licensed facilities in Turkey may only store and dispose 237,334 tons of hazardous waste.

Another controversial subject on which the Ministry and ÇMO clashed was efficiency of municipalities offering waste treatment facilities. While Eroğlu said many new treatment plants have been established since 2004, Kilim said 80 percent of municipalities do not offer waste water treatment services.

Although Eroğlu said there were currently 194 sewage treatment and 32 solid waste treatment plants, Kilim insisted that 1693 municipalities without treatment systems still commit an offence against Turkish Penal Code, or TCK, and Environmental Law.

20 million citizens without sewage system

While arguments on arsenic water between İzmir and Ankara Municipalities have just calmed down, Eroğlu's statement that the healthy water rate in Turkey is above world average sparked reaction from ÇMO as well.

The ministry stated that 1910 municipalities had a drinking water network in 2004.

“The number means 93 percent of the population in municipal regions have access to drinking water,” Eroğlu said. However, ÇMO claimed the “access to healthy water” criteria does not always mean having a drinking and potable water network.

Kilim also highlighted the State Planning Organization's, or DTP, 2008 figures. The report displayed that 3,060 of 74,415 villages, districts and fields have no access to healthy drinking water.

Meanwhile, the lack of a sewage system in many municipal regions became the only common point on which the ministry and ÇMO agreed.

“People benefiting from sewage systems constitute 72 percent of Turkey's population,” Eroğlu said. This means that 20 million people still live without a sewage system.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=113657

Erdogan vs. Environmentalists: dams and nuclear plants

Race on to prove just who is 'greenest' Turk
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
ISTANBUL – TDN with wire dispatches

In the latest clash between environmentalists and the government, the prime minister describes himself as the real environmentalist and defends the policy to build dams and nuclear plants in order to address the country’s growing energy needs

Turkey's efforts to expand its energy production to keep up with its growing economy has forced it to utilize every available resource, including building nuclear, hydro and thermal plants. Each additional project has made ever-clearer battle lines between locals and activists on the one side and the government and an outspoken prime minister on the other.

One such sharp line is yesterday's announcement of the finalists for building Turkey's first nuclear power plants. In its determination to have the plants built, the government rejected requests for an extension to the deadline, saying the companies should work harder to meet the date.

The environmental activists entered the war when 33 activists from 20 countries were detained and then released for their protests against plans to build one of the nuclear power plant in the Black Sea province of Sinop in the latest incident reported by the Hürriyet daily.

Meanwhile, the government's drive to build a series of hydroelectric dams on every available river in the Black Sea region has set it against locals who argue that the dams will disrupt the natural cycle of life and their livelihood, with jobs created seldom addressing the changes introduced to the area.

For this, Turkey is waging an international public relations battle with its plans to submerge the town of Hasankeyf in southeast Turkey once the Ilısu Dam is complete, the government's argument is that the loss is acceptable once one considers the benefits to the region and the economy.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan showed where he stands on the issues in a speech he made in the Black Sea province of Rize over the weekend by describing environmentalists as “strayaways” who did not do anything to protect nature.

Erdoğan, who was also furious over the criticisms directed at the government by environmentalists and the media for the fish farms that polluted some of the most beautiful beaches in the Aegean province of Muğla, used the opportunity to slam environmentalists as a whole.

The prime minister said the government was “doing something, unlike the environmentalists,” reported the Doğan news agency.

He said: “Where were you until now? Why were you silent? The government is trying to do something now. Why didn't you do anything when the fish farms were first built. There is this tendency to hit at the government and Tayyip Erdoğan no matter what. You don't have the right.”

He said he was an environmentalist, as was his government. “Just ask those who prance around saying ‘I am an environmentalist.' What have they done for the world or the environment? Who are they? They are just people who try to do something with their spare time.”

The government had taken measures on the environment that no other had dared, said the prime minister. “We have signed the Kyoto protocol. Did they even stop to say thank you.”

He also criticized those who objected to the building of hydroelectric dams in the region.

He said there may be mistakes committed, which would be speedily corrected. “What will you [environmentalists] do when there is no electricity tomorrow?”

He also said the anti-nuclear activists arrested in Sinop had the address wrong. “The first nuclear plant will be built in Akkuyu in the Mersin province on the Mediterranean coast,” he said.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=113645

organic watermelon bound for europe!

Turkey's first organic watermelon is on its way to Europe
Monday, August 18, 2008
SAMSUN - Referans

Ay-Pi Group, which entered organic farming with egg production in the northern province of Samsun, is now ready to ship organic watermelons to European markets. Initial plans call for Ay-Pi to export one thousand tons of watermelon within a year. Ay-Pi Group, which holds a 60 percent share in Turkish organic egg production in the northern province of Samsun, has now begun growing organic watermelons. The company plans to export the watermelons to Germany, Ahmet Aydın, Ay-Pi Group Chairman said, adding that the company's goal is to triple watermelon exports from this year's one thousand tons.

Ay-Pi the leader in organic egg Yeşil Küre, an Ay-Pi Group subsidiary, is responsible for organic farming and Samsun's Bafra town enjoys significant advantages in organic farming, said Aydın, an ex-deputy, who invested $15 million in organic agriculture in the region.Aydın noted that organic farming in Bafra is brand new. “Bafra has a great potential for organic farming, but we do not have the adequate means to exploit it. We are trying to find ways to improve Bafra so its future will be bright. We are trying to make a contribution to have a better country,” he continued. “Today, products without additives can be sold easily and at higher prices, both in foreign and domestic markets. Now, we have to do our job by changing our perspective. With good planning, Bafra Plain can contribute a lot to the nation's economy.” Ay-Pi Group has a 60 percent share in organic egg production and is the leader in the market with production of five million organic eggs per year, said Aydın. This production can increase in line with the demand, he said, adding the firm also plans to soon launch organic chicken meat production. Aydın noted that the firm seeks to vary the production of organic products. “Our watermelon production does not involve any additives, and is entirely organic. Watermelons will be exported to Germany,” he said. “Turkey's first organic watermelons are on their way to Europe. We are expecting 250,000 euros from the export of organic watermelons.” The firm's goal for 2009 is to produce 5,000 tons of organic watermelons and deliver three thousand tons to the foreign market. “If produced conscientiously, we can take a share from European and Russian markets,” said Aydın.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=112800

Environment Investment Fund, Is Bankasi & TEMA (4)

A fund for environment
Friday, June 27, 2008
ALP SÜER
ISTANBUL – Referans

Turkey's first environmental fund, supported by the country's largest publicly traded bank, has invested in six companies that conduct environmentally sensitive activities.

Environmental problems, such as global warming and droughts in recent periods have demonstrated the importance of environmental consciousness, said Meltem Kökden, manager of İşbank Securities.

The threat has encouraged the bank to work for the future jointly with the Turkish Foundation for Reforestation, the Protection of Natural Habitats and the Combating of Soil Erosion, or TEMA, under the umbrella of the İşbank Type B Variable TEMA Environmental Fund.

The fund's initial portfolio includes TSKB, the first and largest privately owned investment and development bank in Turkey; Zorlu Energy; Turkish Automotive Factory Inc., or TOFAŞ; Aygaz, the first Koç Group Company in the Turkey energy sector; pharmaceutical company Eczacı; and Arçelik, Turkey's largest manufacturer of household appliances.

The number of companies included in the fund, which is aimed at supporting companies that conduct environmentally sensitive activities, is set to increase in the upcoming period.

The criteria for the fund

Companies that have not been penalized for environmental violations in the recent past and that are not involved in weapon and tobacco production or gold exploration activities are considered within the fund's investment strategy, said Kökden.

Next, the companies in the investment-grade pool are evaluated based on their performances on environmental issues, Kökden said. ISO14001 and its equivalent environmental management system certificates are taken into consideration, as well as the integration of environmental responsibility into production, according to Kökden's statement.

İşbank's environmental fund will support the social initiatives of investors to protect the environment, said Kökden. “A long-term and sustainable resource will be created for environmental projects.” İşbank will transfer half of the revenues attained from the fund to the TEMA Foundation, to be used for environmental projects. The fund is very attractive to investors, as it is possible to invest in the fund for a minimum of only YTL 10. This way, small investors can participate in the fund and contribute to the environment with regular investments.

Social responsibility funds are quite widespread in the United States and the European Union, amounting to $201.8 billion in the U.S. and $75.4 billion in Europe. The Calvert and Green Century Funds constitute the largest fund families in the United States.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=108351

Kyoto Protocol, interview with Turkey's environment minister

Environment minister: ignoring Kyoto comes at a price

Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu reaffirmed Turkey's determination to become a party to the Kyoto Protocol, stressing the big price Turkey will pay if it fails to do so.

Being a party to the protocol will add to the country's prestige, Eroğlu said, adding: "We will have no responsibility until 2012. Negotiations will be held about what will happen after 2012. We have to be a party to the protocol in order to assert our special conditions in these negotiations. Otherwise it is highly possible that we will pay a higher price in the face of increasing costs due to the increased impact of climate change and [the greater cost of] delayed measures."

Environment Minister Eroğlu spoke with Sunday's Zaman about Turkey's position with respect to the Kyoto protocol. He maintained that the ratifying the protocol will contribute positively to the international prestige of Turkey. This will even boost support to Turkey's chances of winning a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the period 2009-2010, as well as strengthening the country's hand in negotiations on environmental issues with the EU, he suggested.

Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım, also noting that the refraining from ratifying the Kyoto Protocol is not beneficial to Turkey, said: "It is senseless for Turkey not to be party to the Kyoto Protocol. Our future depends on this." Yıldırım stressed that Turkey will soon ratify the protocol. "Average [carbon] emissions, which is 11 kilograms per capita globally, is below four kilograms in Turkey. The US tops the list with 22 kilograms. Thus we can conclude that the countries that pollute the environment the most are the industrialized countries. Accordingly, they assume more responsibility," he said.

Haluk Özdalga, the head of Parliament's Environment Commission, which discussed and adopted the bill on ratification of the Kyoto Protocol drafted by the Cabinet, pointed out that the bill should be passed by Parliament before its summer recess. "After being passed by Parliament, the bill will be sent to the UN Secretariat and will enter into force after three months. If Parliament passes it before the summer recess, this will be fine and Turkey will have a chance to attend the meetings on the post-Kyoto period as an official member," he said.

Referring to criticism that joining the Kyoto Protocol will cost Turkey $20 billion, Eroğlu asserted that Turkey will assume no liability until 2012 after becoming a party to the protocol.

"Concerning the period after 2012, the parties will hold mutual negotiations in one or two years' time," he said. Eroğlu explained that work on calculating the cost of signing on is under way and that they are taking into consideration various scenarios.

"The work under a project recently launched by the relevant authorities is yet to be completed. On the other hand, in the work conducted by international organizations concerning harmonization and [carbon] emissions reduction, experts are trying to calculate the costs to the global economy. In the light of these studies, measures against climate change will introduce short-term costs to our country. Given the global aspects of climate change, long-terms policies will certainly bring active costs to the country," he said.

Eroğlu argued that becoming party to the Kyoto Protocol will have numerous advantages for Turkey, including the increased credibility of the country in the international arena as a reliable state with the determination to fight climate change as a top priority problem at home and abroad.

In addition, he added, it will contribute to the improvement of the technical capacity of the country in preparing for the post-2012 period, and it will ensure that Turkey can attend the negotiations as a proper member for the post-2012 period. "We will be able to start incentive and preventive financial measures for the use of low-carbon and high-efficiency technologies. For instance, it will make positive contributions to security of energy supply in the long term," he said.

Eroğlu stated that they are working to ensure that Turkey can attend the 4th Meeting of Protocol Parties, to be held in Ponzan, Poland, between Dec. 1-12, 2008.

Concerning the effects of Turkey's failure to be a party to the protocol, Eroğlu said: "Until now, Turkey has considered it fit to act cautiously with respect to Kyoto Protocol membership. However, today we are passing through an important and critical process. Our country did not become a party to the protocol while the protocol was being negotiated, and for this reason did not attend negotiations. This in turn led to our failure to ensure that the provisions that would take our special conditions into consideration were included in the protocol. … Now we must try to ensure that Turkey attends the negotiations concerning the post-2012 climate regime and assert its interests."

What is the Kyoto Protocol?

The UN defines the Kyoto Protocol as follows: an international agreement linked to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas emissions .These amount to an average of 5 percent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012.

The major distinction between the protocol and the UNFCCC is that while the latter encourages industrialized countries to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions, the protocol commits them to doing so.

22.06.2008
News
ALİ ASLAN KILIÇ

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=145448

Yeşil ekran, NTV

NTV’den Dünya’ya: Yeşil ekran
NTV-MSNBC
19 Haziran 2008 Perşembe

Arılar nereye kayboldu? Buğday kıtlığı kapıda mı? İçecek su bulacak mıyız? Cep telefonu beyni yakıyor mu? Hormonsuz domates var mı? TV’yi kumandadan değil düğmeden kapatsak dünya kurtulur mu? NTV çevre sorunlarıyla başedebilmek için “yeşil ekran”ı açıyor.

İSTANBUL - Etrafımızı kuşatan çevre sorunlarıyla başedebilmek için NTV’nin “Yeşil Ekran”ı Temmuz’da yayına başlıyor. Yeşil Ekran, küresel ısınmadan inorganik gıdalara, çöp arıtmadan göç sorununa, karbon salınımından elektromanyetik kirliliğe tüm sorunlar karşısında yaşam rehberi olacak. Bunların yanında haber bültenlerinde özel dosyalar, organik yemek tariflerinden çevreci tatillere mini programlar, yeşil belgesel kuşağı, yeşile adanmış yapımlar, doğal olarak NTV’nin “yeşil ekran”ında yer alacak. Haberin devamı

NTV’nin Yeşil Ekranı’na Doğuş Yayın Grubu’nun tüm mecraları tam destek verecek. CNBC-e’de çevreci şirketler, dünyayı kurtarmanın maliyeti ve sinemanın en seçkin çevreci filmleri, Radyo Eksen ve Billboard Radio’da çevreci müzisyenler ve şarkıları, EVO’da çevreci otomobiller, NTVMSNBC’den web sayfası yesil.ntvmsnbc.com ...

DÜNYANIN KURTARILACAĞI SAATLER

Temmuz’da başlayacak özel yayınlarda “Dünyanın kurtarılacağı saatler belli oldu! Esra Sert’in sunacağı çevreci yaşam klavuzu “Yeşil Rehber”, her gün saat 11.10’da ekrana gelecek. NTV Haber Merkezi’nin Türkiye’nin her yanından çevre sorunlarını derlediği haber program “Yeşil Haberci” her gün saat 15.10’da, “Yeşil Belgeseller Kuşağı” 20.30’da izlenebilecek. Tüm haber bültenlerinde özel dosyalar, organik yemek tariflerinden çevreci tatillere, arkeolojik kazılardan başarı öykülerine mini programlar, yeşile adanmış yapımlar yayınlanacak.

Ayrıca bilgi bandında çevre ve ekosistemle ilgili faydalı bilgiler aktarılacak. Tüm DYG TV ve radyolarında da çevreyle ilgili ilgi çekici istatistikler, çarpıcı gerçekler ve çok kolay uygulanabilecek çevresel davranışlardan örnekleri anlatan kısa dosyalar ekrana gelecek. Denizlerimizin kirlilik oranı, barajlardaki son durum, havadaki oksijen oranı, en yüksek ve düşük sıcaklıklar gibi günlük yaşamımız ilgilendiren kısa bilgi notları da bilgi ekranında yer alacak.

ÜNLÜLER ÇEVREYİ KURTARACAK

NTV’nin başarılı anchormanlerinin yanı sıra, ünlü isimler özel programlarla ekranda olacak. Esra Sert, “Yeşil Rehber” ve “Yeşil Haberci”yi, Oğuz Haksever, ekoloji konulu tartışma programını, Celal Pir her akşam “Yakın Plan”, Burçak Önder “Ekolojik Ekonomi” yayınlarını sunacak.

ÇEVRE BELGESELLERİ KUŞAĞI VE ÇEVRE FİLMLERİ

NTV’nin “Yeşil Ekranı”nda her akşam 20.30’da “Çevre Belgeselleri Kuşağı”ı var. Belgeseller, çöp arıtmadan göç sorununa her konuda bilgi sahibi yapacak. CNBC-e’de çevre konulu filmler ekrana gelecek.

DERGİLERDEN ÖZEL ÇEVRE EKLERİ

National Geographic, CNBC-e Business, Evo başta olmak üzere Doğuş Yayın Grubu dergilerinde çevre temalı ekler hazırlanacak.

YEŞİL MÜZİSYENLER, ÇEVRECİ ŞARKILAR

Bu programların&haberlerin tamamı NTV Radyo’dan aynı anda yayınlanacak. NTV Radyo ayrıca “Türkiye’de Çevreciliğin Sesli Tarihi”ni anlatacak, küresel gerçekleri bir kez daha dillendirecek, “Halkın Sesi” çevreyi ele alacak. Radyo Eksen ve Billboard Radio ise “yeşil müzisyenler”in “çevreci şarkılar”ını yayınlayacak.

ÇEVREYE DUYARLI WEB SİTESİ

NTVMSNBC, projeyle ilgili tüm haberleri ve gelişmeleri yesil.ntvmsnbc.com adresinde okuyucusu ile paylaşacak, okuyucu görüşlerine yer verecek.

© 2006 NTVMSNBC.com

URL: http://www.ntvmsnbc.com/news/450573.asp

Green Getaways, Eco-Tourism in Turkey

The Turkish Daily News has scoped out a handful of family getaways off the beaten path to suit everyone from wholesome beachcombers to thrill-seekers. Stay on seaside farms serving food grown on the property and kayak to underwater
KRISTEN STEVENS

The kids' legs are bouncing up and down as long hot summer days are already wearing on you. The city, the neighborhood and the neighbor are messing with your head. It's time to plan an escape route – one the kids will love enough to let you recline.When fleeing the noise and stress of city living, more and more people are considering ways to give back to the land and local economy as a natural extension of the relaxation they seek. Eco-tourism has quickly become a fundamental element of the travel industry, growing by 20 to 30 per cent every year since the 1990s, according to the International Eco-tourism Society. In the last few years, it has grown three times as fast as regular tourism. This is Turkey, a garden of holiday choices. Where to turn for a place that isn't more of the same: crowds, heat, buildings and asphalt? Finding alternative seaside villages and hillside hideaways calls for a little common sense and research. Below are some that please both locals and guests.

Local comfort, the Lycian way

With a pioneering attitude, Gürbüz and Anthea host guests of the Black Tree Farm Cottages with charm and environmental savvy. Set high in a village 12 km south of the Ölüdeniz resort in the foothills of Babadağ, a restored 18th century farmhouse and charming cottages make the most of Lycia's breathtaking Mediterranean beauty. Beneath these limestone heights crouch deserted coves, once anchorage for pilgrims en route to the Holy Land. The nine cottages sleep from 2-7 people and have fully equipped open-plan kitchens. Individual patios give way to fields and horizons that meet the sea. The communal farmhouse is used by passing hikers and kids who prefer some freedom from their parents – or vice versa. With horses, mountain bikes or ponies to ride, children's video room, rabbits and geese, the place appeals to families especially. Kitchen gardens supply the bar and restaurant (open all day) with organic vegetables, and the menu is child-friendly. Local Lycian sites of Xanthos, Pinara, Letoon and Tlos are all within easy reach. Several isolated beaches are below and a 2-hour walk winds down to Butterfly Valley by way of Ölüdeniz.

The pottery room provides local clay and the use of an authentic Turkish pottery wheel. An old Turkish bath has been fully restored and the tennis court is new. The farm uses totally organic products and burns most of the refuse, which in turn heats the water.

Getting there

Thirty minutes south of the Ölüdeniz resort, Black Tree Farm Cottage Holidays is 2 hours from Dalaman airport / Ölüdeniz, Fethiye (0252) 617 0045 www.blacktree.net

Set sail on a “green” cruise

A little further south in the Mediterranean town of Kaş it is a simple matter to charter a gulet, a traditional wooden sailing boat. The captain charts your course and meals are prepared for you, leaving plenty of time for visiting local fishing villages and swimming in quiet bays. By joining a group sail, families can share costs and make new friends.

Getting there

Eco-friendly company Responsible Travel connects only with sailing outfits that care for the environment and local people. A typical 7-day trip includes flying into Dalyan and kayaking near Kaş; taking a glass-bottomed boat to Kekova and a jeep trip into countryside; and a sailing on a gulet. www.responsibletravel.com

Responsible Travel

From “green” resorts to adventure treks, Responsible Travel offers dozens of other high quality holidays in Turkey for families. The UK-based organization has a mission to provide holidays that support local people and the environment. A pioneer in responsible tourism, the company supports international charities working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and their ecosystem.

Yuva Eco Holiday Center

Yuva means home or nest in Turkish, and Atilla refers to his family-run Yuva Eco Holiday Center as a ‘nest' of sustainable living, combining traditional lifestyles, organic gardening, renewable energy, environmentally conscious tourism and healing arts. The nearby Ölüdeniz Lagoon contains enzymes believed to contain healing properties. Vegetarian meals recover flavors and aromas of traditional country cuisine prepared by cooks from different regions of Turkey. Family week includes holistic yoga, dance and nutrition – from July 28 to August 4. All summer guests can take part in yoga classes free of charge on a platform built over the sea. Come nightfall, the Milky Way lights up the sky.

Getting there

Located in the village of Faralya, 14km from the town of Fethiye. The nearest Airport is Dalaman (one and half-hours). +44 (0)1760 755888 yuva@vegiventures.com www.yuvaholidays.com

Pastoral Valley Organic Eco Farm

Pioneering eco-tourism on his organic farm, Ahmet Kezin, an architect-environmentalist, provides simple but attractive cabins, several made from the local adobe-style mud brick. In Yanıklar Village near Fethiye, the farm occupies 42,000 sq.m. in a valley surrounded by pine forests and bordering a river. All foods not actually grown on our farm are sourced from other local growers. If guests wish they can be involved in work on the farm, or take part in workshops based on local culture and handicrafts like kilim weaving, simple clay pottery making, basket making or producing a range of traditional preserves such as jams and pickles. Kids can learn to bake bread or börek. All food, drinks and snacks plus anything created in the free workshops is included in the single price of accommodation.

Yoga and tree house workshops for kids

The shady "tree house" is the workshop where kids build totums, kites and model planes and paint or read. All summer, guests can participate in basic Yoga exercises free of charge.

It's located in the Kocabük district of Yaniklar, 40 km. from Dalaman Airport. Minibuses run from Fethiye to Yaniklar every 15 minutes. Pastoral Valley is 3 km. from the center of the village. Yemisli Mah. Kocabük Mevki, Yaniklar Köyü, 48300 Fethiye / Muğla / (0252) 633 6627 www.pastoralvadi.com info@pastoralvadi.com

Yonca Lodge

Set in an orchard in Yaniklar, Yonca Lodge is a family-owned pension fronted by a beach. They also serve organic vegetarian food. As part of a village-wide effort to boost eco-tourism, locals and tourists are encouraged to preserve the natural environment and pension guests are free to take part in activities at the Pastoral Valley farm. Yaniklar Köyü / Fethiye (0252) 633 6177 www.yoncalodge.com

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107629

Greening Turkey through environmental oversight committees like Mavi Yol

Activists initiate legal campaign against hotel construction
Thursday, June 19, 2008
YAŞAR ANTERMUĞLA – Doğan News Agency

Environmentalists said yesterday they will take a company that dumped excess sand from a hotel construction site into the sea to court after the offending firm was given an additional year to complete the clean up project.

The Mavi Yol, or Blue Path, environmental organization, which represents close to 40 groups, has decided to initiate a legal battle to have the whole hotel project cancelled.

A day before the deadline given to MNG Holding to remove the sand from the Pina Peninsula in the Gulf of Güllük, the company was given a year to remedy the violation, said Mavi Yol spokeswoman Filiz Dizdar.

Bodrum Chamber of Trade President Gündüz Nalbantoğlu said many of the beaches and forests on the Mediterranean and Aegean coast are under attack from indiscriminate corporate dumping.

“If a plastic bag or some garbage is dumped by a boat, it gets a fine of YTL 5,000. However, companies that dump tons of waste and building materials receive insignificant fines and are rewarded with more time,” he said.

The company was given 85,000 square meters of land on the Pina Peninsula in 2006 in order to build a five star hotel with a 1,200-bed capacity. According to reports, the company then dumped excess earth from its construction site into the sea, apparently to build three piers on the beach because the sea was not suitable for swimming.

After the matter was taken up by newspapers, the local administrator suspended the dumping of earth and fined the company YTL 21,000. The company now has a year to get the necessary permission to continue construction of the hotel.

Dizdar said his group plans to wage a legal fight to annul the decision to open the Pina Peninsula to tourism and to allow a delay in the removal of the landfill.

“We will fight to ensure that the company that ruined the forest and the sea will end its presence in the region,” she said.

Warriors of Nature spokesman Zafer Murat Çetinbaş said the destruction of the natural environment near Bodrum could not have occurred without the knowledge of state officials.

A member of the Bodrum Citizens' Initiative, lawyer Ahmet Aksüt, said, “No one should doubt that the company will get the necessary license and build restaurants and hotel in the middle of the sea. Even Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay will be present in the opening ceremony. However, these people who ignore the law will definitely answer for their deeds in front of the court.”

He said a legal victory for environmental groups would pave the way for more campaigns against companies and civil servants who ignore such scandalous behavior.

When the issue first made headlines, the coordinator of the project for MGN, Sinan Karaağaçlı, was recorded as saying, “We filled the sea. We are a huge company and will get the permission afterwards. You know how things work in Turkey,” when asked about the matter while he was accepting an award from the local administrator for MNG's contribution to tourism.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107603

Energy-saving lights & the Osram Student Illumination Movement

Osram campaigns for energy savings
Thursday, June 19, 2008
MÜGE ÖZBAĞISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

Not only the commercial gain, but also the global social mission and raising of consciousness about climate change in consumers' minds are important issues, said Erol Kırılmaz, one of the youngest country managers of lighting equipment producer Osram.

In an interview with the Turkish Daily News, the 36-year-old executive urged wider utilization of energy-saving lamps, saying this is one of the ways in which people could shoulder this social responsibility. “By buying these lamps, the consumer can secure up to 80 percent energy savings and do something to protect the environment at the same time.” Under the directives of the young chief executive officer, who is quite convinced that the road to increase consciousness can only be pawed through reaching out to children, Osram started a social education project called the “Osram Student Illumination Movement” on its 100th anniversary in 2006.

The movement was founded on the basis of improving educational conditions such as the lighting quality in classrooms located in Anatolia. Another focus of the project was the cognitive “illumination,” intended to educate children on climate change and global warming topics. The Illumination Project addresses children through a video and a magazine, in which a polar bear explains global warming. “What can I do to reduce global warming?” is the crucial question raised by the products. “The kids have shown great interest in the topic,” said Kırılmaz.

The Osram Project team, which traveled 6,000 kilometers from Eskişehir, to Mersin, Adana, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Malatya and Kayseri, has reached nearly 5,000 children and handed out more than 50,000 informational pamphlets. The company aims to reach more than 1,000 schools in east and southeast Anatolia. The interest in schools is high, said Kırılmaz and added the project will continue through this year.

Energy-saving lamps constitute an important portion of Osram's revenue, however there is further energy-saving potential, said Kırılmaz. For example, the new light-emitting diode, or LED technology and the Osram Halogen Energy Saver products provide alternative illumination scenarios consuming 30 percent less energy than normal incandescent lamps, he added.Some 100 million household lamps are sold in Turkey each year and 30 million of them are energy-saving lamps. Although traditional lighting is still widely used in the country, Kırılmaz said there is a good chance of expanding the market of energy-saving lamps and modern lighting systems. “The interest and the consciousness to save money and do something against global warming at the same time is very distinct and continues to grow. The urgency to take on some responsibility rests on everybody's shoulders. There is no escaping that,” he said.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107194

Solar power in Turkish homes

Turkey requires homes to generate solar power
Friday, June 13, 2008
ISTANBUL - Bloomberg

Turkey is preparing draft legislation that would require homeowners and businesses to install solar panels or batteries to cover 10 percent of what they consume and meet European Union standards, Milliyet said today.

Turkey could produce 20 percent of its electricity from renewable resources, Soner Aksoy, head of the Parliament's Commission on Industry, Trade, Energy and Technology, told the newspaper. Aksoy is preparing the renewable-energy law on the use of solar, wind, geothermal and biogas power generation, it said.

The law would require homes, apartment buildings and businesses to use panels to heat water and photovoltaic batteries to produce power, Aksoy said. It will also include price incentives for solar power generation for five years, he said.

Turkiye Vakiflar Bankasi TAO, a state-run bank, and the Energy Ministry are discussing long-term loans to help homeowners and apartment managers insulate homes to save up to 40 percent of the energy houses waste, Milliyet said, citing Aksoy.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107131

Sustainable housing in Istanbul

Demand for sustainable housing increases
Friday, June 13, 2008
MELTEM KARAISTANBUL – Hürriyet

The number of construction projects in the country seeking harmony with nature and offering a sustainable lifestyle with more efficient energy and water usage is gradually increasing.

The new projects include the Doğan subsidiary Milpa Group's Milpark Konutları in Istanbul's Esenyurt district; Propa İnşaat's Sarıyer Park; Soyak's Mavişehir project; A-Z Yapı's Meritlife Kent; Doğa Real Estate Agency's Emirgan Evleri, Selenium Country and Doğa Meşepark projects; Teknik Yapı's Dilman Towers; and Sinpaş's Lagün project.

Thanks to savings of 250,000 tons of water a day, the Milpark Konutları project could save as much as 50 percent in water consumption annually. Meanwhile, Propa İnşaat has installed solar panels in its Sarıyer Park project to increase energy savings while still creating a luminous atmosphere in the building. Additionally Turkish construction company Soyak has implemented an insulation system and double insulated glass panes in its Mavişehir project. Turkish construction company A-Z Yapı distinguishes domestic solid waste such as paper, plastic, glass, tin from biological waste.

Companies are showing concern about the future of natural resources because 30 percent of the country's resources have been exhausted in the last 30 years, posing a threat to the future of construction sector because of the industry's heavy reliance on natural resources. It is, therefore, expected that the issue of environmental sustainability will show up much more frequently in new construction projects.

Sustainable housing

Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment, ensuring that these needs can be met not only in the present but also into the future. The sector requires more financing to construct sustainable housing projects due to the higher price of materials, infrastructure costs and the land-use ratio. It is estimated, however, that the high cost of sustainable housing construction will decline in line with a rise in the number of such projects.

Many consumers are becoming conscious of the dire situation of the environment, and are showing an increasing preference for purchasing sustainable houses. Sustainable housing reduces costs and water usage, and offers improved security.

Meanwhile, housing investors, though willing to launch nature-sensitive projects, are a bit hesitant about the future of the sustainable housing sector given the high costs associated with it.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107127

Green Party in Turkey

Turkish Greens to establish a new political party

The Greens of Turkey, who have struggled to establish their movement in Turkey since the 1980s, will seek to become a political party at the end of this month, with a platform based upon environmental principles and direct democracy.

This will be the second effort of the Greens to set up a political party; the first came in 1988 and was successful, but the party was closed down in 1994 by the Constitutional Court due to irregularities in the party budget.

In an interview with Today’s Zaman, Greens spokesman Ümit Tahin said the organizational structure of the party will be different from others. “We will of course fulfill the requirements of the Law on Political Parties, but we will have our own rules, such as a 50 percent quota of women members and rotation of party officials. We will not have a leader, but rather one man and one woman spokesperson,” Tahin noted.

The Greens of Turkey, even before becoming a political party, were accepted as an observer in the European Green Parties Council in 2005.

The Greens of Turkey have the same platform as many other global Greens -- ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy, nonviolence, decentralization, community-based economics, feminism, respect for diversity, global responsibility and future focus.

In their party program, detailed on their Web site, the Greens of Turkey claim that wars were started in order to control water and oil resources in the Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asia, while Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq were occupied and Turkey is in the middle of all these problems; thus, they say, international politics based on regional cooperation, peace and friendship is necessary. The Greens of Turkey have pledged to cooperate with the Greens of the world to overcome these problems and not to act on the basis of nationalism.

According to the Greens, Turkey is suffering from human rights violations, military coups and social injustice, all stemming from an authoritarian approach to governing.

The Greens note that their movement began based on civil society organizations but that in recent years the concept of civil society organizations has been abused. The Greens say they will derive their power from real civil society organizations that are working for democracy.

The Greens define the existing Constitution as a product of the 1980 military coup and demand that a new, shorter constitution be created that focuses on basic rights. According to the Greens all types of interference in democratic politics should be banned. They note that the new constitution should emphasize that the freedoms of citizens should not be restricted in the interest of the state. They would also like to see restrictions on and civil monitoring of military expenditures along with the abolishment of the National Security Council (MGK). The Greens also want Turkey to withdraw from NATO, the Americans to be prevented from using İncirlik Air Base and the complete demilitarization of Cyprus. When it comes to the EU the Greens are in favor of continuing with the country’s accession negotiations but pledge to work for an EU based on Green principles.

Regarding the Kurdish question the Greens propose that Turkey must confront the mistakes of the past and recognize the Kurdish identity.

The Greens will discuss the details of the party’s bylaws on June 21 during a meeting in İstanbul.
11.06.2008
News
AYŞE KARABAT

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=144502


Yeşıller (Greens of Turkey) website: http://www.yesiller.org/

$45 trillion urged to battle carbon emissions

$45 trillion urged in battling carbon emissions
By James Kanter
Friday, June 6, 2008

BRUSSELS: In one of the strongest warnings so far about the world's thirst for energy, the International Energy Agency said Friday that investment totaling $45 trillion might be needed over the next half-century to prevent energy shortages and greenhouse gas emissions from undermining global economic growth.

The executive director of the agency, Nobuo Tanaka, called for "immediate policy action and technological transition on an unprecedented scale." Tanaka said the world needed to "completely transform the way we produce and use energy."

The IEA report said that the combination of growing demand for energy, especially in countries like China and India, the dangers of climate change and the scarcity of resources was going to require huge shifts in the way the global economy was organized. To meet those challenges, it said, nations would have to overcome objections to building nuclear power plants and storing large amounts of carbon dioxide underground or beneath the ocean floor.

"I am very pleased the International Energy Agency has put such a high figure on the cost of making this transition," said Pierre Noël, an energy expert and senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "It is high time we got rid of the myth that we can decarbonize our economies on the cheap," he said.

In its report, the IEA, which gives advice on energy policy to its 27 member nations, which include the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and most of Europe, described emissions-cutting measures that broadly match the advice of some leading scientists, who have recommended cutting emissions in half by 2050 as a way of avoiding devastating climate change. Environment ministers from the Group of 8 have backed this target, and they have said governments should officially endorse the goal at a G-8 summit meeting in July in Japan.

The report did not say how such large sums of money should be raised. The IEA said member nations of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, or Unfccc, the parent treaty of the Kyoto Protocol, must negotiate ways of encouraging governments and businesses to lower emissions.

John Hay, a spokesman for the convention, said markets operating under the Kyoto treaty that put a price on carbon pollution, like Europe's Emissions Trading System, were already playing an important role in driving investment, but could not be solely relied on to raise the sums described by the IEA. Two years ago, Yvo de Boer, the executive secretary of the Unfccc, estimated that carbon trading could generate investments in climate-friendly technology in the developing world worth about $100 billion annually - a fraction of the amounts the IEA said was required.

The IEA report foresees "a dramatic transformation of the energy industry, and how that level of investment can be achieved is a major question," said Robert LaCount, head of climate change and clean energy research at Cambridge Energy Research Associates. "Governments at all levels will need to help and support the emergence of new technologies so that they can reach commercialization," he said.

Among the energy agency's chief messages is that current energy policies are unsustainable, with emissions of carbon dioxide expected to climb 130 percent and demand for oil to rise by 70 percent by 2050. Tanaka warned that oil demand could be five times the current production of Saudi Arabia by that time, and that carbon emissions of such a magnitude could raise global average temperatures by 6 degrees Celsius (10.8 degrees Fahrenheit), changing all aspects of life and creating irreversible changes in the natural environment.

A major problem for the planet is that the rising cost of oil and natural gas is prompting a switch to coal, particularly in India and China. Coal is inexpensive and plentiful but highly polluting, and its increasing use is contributing to the accelerating growth in emissions of carbon dioxide. But Noël, of the foreign relations council, said the rising cost of fossil fuels should be a cause for optimism, because they would be the main factor driving large-scale investments.

"It's not primarily a global agreement between heads of state that will make technologies like nuclear power or like carbon capture reach take off," Noël said. "It's primarily expectations about energy prices," he said.

The IEA recommended taking measures now that would ensure that carbon emissions were down to at least present-day levels by mid-century by using technologies that already exist, including steps for improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions from power generation. Such measures would cost $17 trillion between now and 2050, or 0.4 percent of global output, costing about $400 billion a year.

The agency also mapped out a second, more ambitious plan aimed at reducing emissions to half their current levels by mid-century by emphasizing technologies and strategies for "weaning the world off oil." The agency estimated the cost of that process at $45 trillion, or 1.1 percent of annual global output, over the period to 2050. Investments of $100 billion to $200 billion would be needed each year over the next 10 years, rising to $1 trillion to $2 trillion each year in the coming decades.

To reach the goal of halving emissions, the agency said, among the most important measures would be equipping more than 50 natural gas and coal power plants each year with equipment to capture and sequester carbon dioxide. Such measures would double the generating costs of a coal power station not equipped with capture and storage, and many plants that could not be converted to the new technology would have to close before the end of their useful lives.

"It is recognized that this will be a large step for countries heavily reliant on coal, but a necessary step requiring careful management," the report said.

There would also be a need for 32 new nuclear plants each year, while the number of wind turbines would need to increase by 17,500 annually. Other strategies included accelerating the development of solar electricity and so-called second-generation biofuels, made from sources that do not compete with food for farmland.

The report acknowledged that numerous objections to these technologies would need to be overcome, in particular local opposition to building new nuclear power stations and to long-term nuclear waste repositories. Geologically stable sites also would need to be found for storing carbon dioxide.

But the most difficult and costly step, it said, would be reducing carbon emissions from transportation at a time when the use of cars, airplanes and ships would still be growing rapidly but few technologies would exist to limit emissions from those sources.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/06/business/emit.php

Kyoto goes to Parliament

Gov't submits law project for Kyoto to Parliament
Friday, June 6, 2008
ANKARA – TDN Parliament Bureau

The government submitted a law project to Parliament yesterday that accepts Turkey's decision to join the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement that aims to control greenhouse emissions and alleviate global warming.

Turkey became a party to the 1997 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2004, after being released from its status as an Annex II nation, which obliged it to help developing nations cover the costs of reducing greenhouse emissions.

Under the new agreement Turkey will be exempt from such obligations during Kyoto's first commitment period, which will begin immediately and end in 2012.

“Proving Turkey's resolve to struggle against climate change, increasing Turkey's reputation among countries party to the (United Nations Framework Convention) and the (Kyoto Protocol), and securing a better position for Turkey in shaping of post-2012 regulations” are reasons listed in the law for Turkey joining the international agreement.

The government's proposal will be reviewed by parliamentary commissions before it is presented to the general assembly, where the expectation is it will be ratified.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) wants to conclude the ratification process in July, before Parliament breaks for vacation, allowing Turkey to participate in the 14th Conference of Parties this December in Poland, where parties to the agreement will collaborate on measures to combat climate change for the second commitment period, to begin in 2012.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=106501

Does Turkey really care about the environment?

Turkey might care about the environment, but not that much
Friday, June 6, 2008
ÇINAR KİPERISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

Turks may be more environmentally conscious than they once were, but the nation's environmental organizations still lag woefully behind their counterparts in the civil society sector, suggests a recent report by a leading Turkish university.

A report by Bahçeşehir University, which details the recent rise of environmental nongovernmental organizations in Turkey and notes their relatively small number compared to other Turkish civil society organizations, has shed light on the state of Turkish environmentalism just prior to World Environment Day, celebrated Wednesday around the world and in Turkey.

The report by Assistant Professor Hande Paker and researcher Barış Gençer Baykan, titled “Environment and Civil Society in Turkey: Organization and Latest Activities,” revealed that environmental NGOs in Turkey have tripled in the last 12 years alone but still make up only 0.7 percent of the total number of NGOs in the country.

Doğa's communications coordinator, Yeşim Erbaşol, spoke to the Turkish Daily News on Wednesday about the difficulties NGOs face. "Our greatest problem is getting volunteers and support. Almost all of our support comes from abroad, and the private sector has been offering support for only the past couple years."

Ümit Yaşar Gürses, chairman of the board of directors for the Turkish Foundation for Reforestation, Protection of Natural Habitats and Combating of Soil Erosion (TEMA), told the TDN that his organization considers itself fortunate to have enough support, but attributed the difficulties faced by many NGOs to inadequate government support. "Governments, which tend not to like what environmental organizations have to say, present many obstacles," he said.

The report identifies 19 environmental NGOs established between 1924-1980; 35 between 1981-1990; 82 between 1991-1995; and 439 between 1995-2007. This means that of the 575 currently active NGOs, 76 percent were established in the past 12 years alone.

"The drought last year played a huge role in raising awareness both within the public and the private sector. As our speed of consumption increases, it is only natural that awareness would also increase," said Erbaşol.

Gürses, on the other hand, is skeptical about the purported growing environmental conscience. "Many people might say that they are concerned with the environment, but they are still lacking in practice,” said Gürses. As for the rise in the number of environmental organizations, Gürses felt that the number might have increased, but that very few of the organizations are actually having an effect.

Uygar Özesmi, director general of Greenpeace Mediterranean, disagreed, saying, "It is the small local organizations that are most effective in protecting the environment."

Özesmi traced the success of these organizations to two relatively recent developments: The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme, established in Turkey in 1994 by the U.N.'s development body, and the Civil Society Development Center, which provide many NGOs, including environmental ones, with funding from the European Union. "The recent developments in Turkey have been an overlooked success," Özesmi added.

According to the Turkish Department of Associations, there are 78,608 active NGOs operating in the country in total, of which only 0.7 percent have an environmental agenda. Divided by region, the greatest numbers of organizations are found in the Central Anatolian and Marmara regions, with 158 and 127 organization respectively, and the fewest are found in the eastern and southeastern Anatolian regions, with 32 and 19 respectively.

Asked what would have to change to strengthen the role of NGOs, Özesmi told the TDN that civil society must be seen as a part of the democratic system and not as an extension of the government, and that the education system must change to foster creativity and strengthen individual involvement.

The report also found gaps in the environmental issues covered by the organizations, with many organizations dealing with protection, forestry, erosion, and coastal regions and very few with mining or nuclear energy. The report postulated that this was due to a popular conception that the latter areas are under government supervision and that the government hadn't made these fields accessible for NGOs, a sentiment echoed by Gürses.

The report added, "When considering that relevant ministries and official organizations have been more involved with increasing public awareness regarding protection and forestry/erosion, these fields have a greater legitimacy. The focus on protection in particular is a consequence of foreign and domestic funds pouring in and environmental management programs."

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=106496

World Environment Day

Clean-up campaigns to raise awareness on environmental problems
Thursday, June 5, 2008

Students participating in World Environment Day activities yesterday were probably not expecting to have fun cleaning up parks and forests, but they were rewarded for their hard work with bike rides and face painting at the end of the day.

Though the United Nations suggests 80 different activities for World Environment Day, this year's activities in Turkey did not change much from previous years, as students once again cleaned up parks and forests. Officials and students believe that, though the clean-up activities are symbolic, they are not worthless because they raise public awareness of environmental problems through the media.

“These (clean up campaigns) are symbolic activities, but still they raise public awareness and the press brings the issue to the people's agenda,” said Beyoğlu Mayor Ahmet Müsbah Demircan. Around 1,200 students gathered together to clean a park near the Golden Horn yesterday. The activity was organized by the Education Ministry, in collaboration with Deniztemiz Turmepa, a foundation that aims to protect Turkey's seas and waterways.

Students said they were happy not to attend classes yesterday. “They said we would clean the forest areas, but we were not expecting to have fun and ride bicycles too. We really had fun here,” said Mizgin Kurt, 13, a student at Hacı İshak Primary School, adding that playground areas are limited in Istanbul.

Educators believe, however, that clean up activities should be supported by lessons and other activities organized throughout the year.

“This is an issue of education. Children clean these parks now, but everyone will continue to pollute the environment as soon as this organization ends,” said Necmettin Karagöz, director of Piripaşa Primary School in Istanbul. He said the problems will continue until everyone develops greater sensitivity to environmental issues.

Families worried about tick bites

The students, happy to be outside of the school on a sunny day, said they are aware of the seriousness of environmental problems in Turkey and in the world. Pollution and the shortage of water are the main environmental problems in Turkey, according to the children. “Everyone should throw the rubbish and stumps of their cigarettes in rubbish boxes,” said İbrahim Güler, 10, a student at Hasköy Primary School in Istanbul. He said he warns people around him about the environmental crisis but they do not listen to him.

Some high school students said they believe the next generation will be more sensitive to save nature. “Nobody told us not to waste natural resources, but now children learn that there will be water shortage due to global warming,” said Damla Derman, 16, a student at Fenerbahçe High School.

Families, on the other hand, were worried about tick bites, which killed 18 people in Turkey in May alone, as their children cleaned the grassy areas. The playing fields that were cleaned by students were disinfected for ticks the previous day. The clean-up campaign was canceled in the Sivas province of central Anatolia due to risks of having ticks in the region, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Officials also warned students to wear gloves during the cleaning to avoid infection.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=106450

Low-carbon economy in Turkey

Kick the CO2 habit: toward a low- carbon economy
byMAHMOOD AYUB*

It has already begun. The chain reaction of events related to climate change affects us all. More than ever, extreme weather conditions are causing severe natural disasters.

Droughts and floods, melting ice in the polar regions, rising sea levels, damage to ecosystems and loss of biodiversity are all indicators of climate change. Even the most persistent skeptics now agree that climate change is real and that it is happening. It has a drastic impact on our daily lives. And it is caused by a human addiction: our dangerous carbon habit. Carbon-based energy consumption and our dependence on fossil fuels have caused the eventual buildup of dangerous amounts of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.It has had devastating effects on our lives. In Bangladesh alone, 70 million people living in the country's coastal areas face inundation if sea levels continue to rise. Another major victim of climate change is biodiversity. The loss of biodiversity directly undermines our food supply. About one-fifth of domestic animal breeds are at risk of extinction, with an average of one lost each month. Of the 7,000 species of plants domesticated over our 10,000-year history of agriculture, only 30 account for the vast majority of the food we eat every day.

Our food supply is at risk

The food crisis is already showing brutal consequences for humans. The price of food is soaring. The threat of hunger and malnutrition is growing. Millions of the world's most vulnerable people are at risk. And according to a recent United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Report, prices will remain high over the next decade. Even if prices fall from current record levels, it will still mean that millions more risk further hardship or hunger. And that is not all we are doing to damage the planet. We also destroy the ecosystem that once had full power to absorb greenhouse gases. Valuable forests around the world have been sacrificed for their timber. This continues at an alarming rate so plantations can supply a growing demand for biofuels. Fertile lands are turning to desert. Oceans are facing the danger of losing key species critical to the continuity of its ecosystem.

Mitigation and adaptation is the way out

Unfortunately, we cannot reverse what has already started. However to reduce its effects we can focus on mitigation and adaptation.Nobody is immune from the results of climate change. Although the poor of the world will be hit hardest, even the richest nations face the prospects of economic recession and a world in conflict over diminishing resources.

Turkey takes steps

Turkey is also at risk. It is among the regions that will be adversely affected by climate change -- and its consequences are already being felt in the country. Additionally, 85 percent of the land area in Turkey is "highly vulnerable to desertification." With this in mind, Turkey has geared up to take necessary steps forward. Recently, President Abdullah Gül and the Turkish government said that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol were the most effective tools for sustainable development and Turkey was preparing to assume its responsibilities as a party to the UN convention. This is a very encouraging step forward.
The United Nations Turkey Office also works with the Turkish government to boost Turkey's capacity to mitigate and adapt to climate change. To that end, with support from Spanish government funding, the UN Turkey Office and Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry began the first climate adaptation project in Turkey. Several UN agencies, including UNDP as the leading agency, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) are parties to the project.

Global response is a must

A global response to climate change is a must to mitigate and thus eradicate poverty by avoiding major global instability causing dire consequences for humanity.

That is why the theme of this year's World Environment Day (June 5) is "Kick the Habit: Toward a Low Carbon Economy." It is a way to show the dreadful consequences of our carbon addiction and the way out. Although it is not possible to reverse the effects of climate change, the good news is that technologies to mitigate and adapt to climate change exist or are under development. These same technologies will also make our consumption of carbon-based fuels cleaner and more efficient. Renewable energy is also an important priority.

There are other encouraging developments. Earlier this year, to move swiftly toward carbon neutrality, UNEP launched the Climate Neutral Network (CN Net). Today it has a wide membership portfolio, including countries, corporations and cities.

These projects and initiatives show that we are all part of the solution. We should assume our responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint and kick the habit. It is the only way out.

*Mahmood Ayub is the UN resident coordinator in Turkey.
05.06.2008
Op-Ed

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=143867

Political leverage, not environmental protection, behind Turkey's move to ratify Kyoto?

Political concerns shadow environment protection in Kyoto move

Wednesday, June 4, 2008
MUSTAFA OĞUZANKARA – Turkish Daily News

Turkey finally ratifies the Kyoto Protocol, but the decision is likely to be a political disguised as real environmental concerns. Instead of developing sound strategies to help alleviate climate change, gaining political leverage in world affairs seem to dominate the country's position toward Kyoto.

The government's decision to join the Kyoto Protocol three years after the agreement came into force seems like a diplomatic move rather than a sincere commitment to fully implement the international criteria to limit global warming, a Turkish environmentalist said yesterday.

"Turkey's move is a political one. It is a way of saying ‘I am in the club,'” Yunus Arıkan, a climate change senior project manager for the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC), told the Turkish Daily News yesterday.

Arıkan referred to Turkey's wish to grab a seat at the 14th Conference of Participants this December and to have a say in the post-Kyoto environmental regime. The Kyoto Protocol was open for signatures in 1998, and entered into force in 2005 with the accession of Russia. Kyoto was signed by 176 countries and 37 among them are obliged to cut their greenhouse emission levels between 2008-12. “Governments around the world are trying to shape the next term by holding international meetings, and work will be concluded in 2009,” Arıkan said.

Politics dominate environmental policy

Foreign Ministry officials said another major point was to strengthen Turkey's bid for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council. Environmental issues are high on the Council's, thus Kyoto is of major importance to Turkey, officials told the TDN.

Turkey is also obliged to ratify the protocol to join the European Union. “The EU has even stricter environmental protection policy. Turkey must adapt to it sooner or later,” said Arıkan.
“State institutions have no strategy to implement protocols aims,” Greenpeace Mediterranean Director Uygar Özesmi said. “Even the United States, which did not ratify the protocol, set standards similar to the Kyoto Protocol on environmental protection. Turkey needs a top-level decision and must lay out and announce publicly its aims and determine what changes will be made in which sector, until 2010, 2020 and 2050,” he said.

A misstep turned into an advantage

Özesmi noted that, contrary to common belief, signing the Kyoto Protocol does not put an additional burden on Turkey until 2012. “The acceleration of the ratification process is a positive development. Turkey was late in participating in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and in ratifying the Kyoto Protocol,” he said. Turkey missed the possibility of becoming a “party” to the protocol, so will instead “accede” to it if Parliament chooses to ratify it.
Turkey's long-overdue move can also be interpreted from a positive point of view by those more concerned with the agreement's possible burdens on industry. Turkey was not a party to the convention adopted in 1992 when the Kyoto Protocol was negotiated, so it is not currently included in the agreement's Annex-B, which includes 39 countries that are obliged to reduce their greenhouse emissions to 1990 levels between 2008-12.

“Turkey was mistakenly included in the beginning among both developed and responsible countries,” said Arıkan. Turkey thus had to share the responsibility for providing developing countries with new and additional financial resources, transferring technology to them, and even meeting the agreed full costs incurred by developing country parties. The Foreign Ministry has suggested that Turkey's inclusion in both annexes was the result of its membership to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Turkey disputed its cumbersome position, and finally was deleted from Annex II by an amendment that entered into force June 28, 2002, following a decision adopted at the seventh Conference of Parties that took place the previous year. After the decision, Turkey ratified the U.N. convention in 2004.

It is entirely up to the government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions until 2012, noted Arıkan. Nevertheless, Turkey will sooner or later have to begin serious thinking to curb its greenhouse emissions. “It will certainly be asked to bear a burden in the next arrangements,” Arıkan warned.

http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=106345

Carbon Trading in Turkey, more on Kyoto

Turkey set to gain from carbon trading

Turkey's annual emission reduction efforts will be facilitated by sustainable energy development projects funded by voluntary carbon funds, with the number of these projects reaching 30 in the first quarter of 2008, resulting in a greenhouse gas reduction of approximately 5 million tons, equaling about 20 million euros in gains, if these energy companies engage in a carbon trading scheme, according to an international environmental organization's Turkey office.

Yunus Arıkan, the senior project manager for the Turkey office of the Hungary-based Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC), says: "Based on information acquired by REC-Turkey, as of October 2007, there are nine projects in Turkey that have been involved in the voluntary carbon trade, which accounts for a total of 700,000 tons of carbon emission reduction annually. However, recently acquired data show the number of projects is 30, accounting for approximately 5 million tons in carbon emission reduction."

Speaking to Today's Zaman, Arıkan said both the number and volume of projects make Turkey one of the pioneering countries in this emerging market. He also said the fact that Turkey hosts the first "gold standard" verified emission reduction project globally qualifies Turkey for such a position, but that if Turkey is excluded from the world compulsory carbon market in the post-Kyoto period, it might lose these investments.

The Turkish government has decided to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and will send a bill on the issue to Parliament, government spokesman Cemil Çiçek said at a news conference on Monday. The Kyoto Protocol binds 37 industrialized countries to put limits on their greenhouse gases blamed for the rise in global temperatures.

The Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Countries which ratified it committed to reduce their emissions by an average of 5 percent from 1990 levels by 2012.

A total of 176 countries are signatory to the protocol, but concerned that its ratification before the completion of large-scale energy investments would lead to serious economic and social problems, Turkey chose not to sign.

Contrary to the beliefs of most Turkish critics of Kyoto, ratifying the protocol, set to expire in 2012, will cost Turkey nothing. "Turkey has no emission reduction obligations, and it will incur none even when it is a party to Kyoto. As such, there will be no cost at all. Turkey will not be obliged to reduce gas emissions until after 2012," said Haluk Özdalga, the chairman of Parliament's Environment Commission.

He also said if Turkey does not ratify the protocol, it will not be able to negotiate effectively in the post-Kyoto era. It is still unclear what obligations countries will assume post-2012 and that these will be determined in negotiations to be completed in 2009.

However, REC-Turkey warns that Turkey will not be eligible to join the Kyoto Protocol's flexibility mechanisms even if it signs it and that for the time being emission reduction projects in Turkey can only be pursued through voluntary carbon markets. "Voluntary markets in Turkey shall be designed so as to support Turkey's negotiations and efforts for the country to be considered a carbon seller country by hosting Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) in the post-2012 period. Moreover, Turkey shall consider a more active role for the government in the voluntary carbon process so that the institutional framework and the process of monitoring, permission and registry issues might evolve into a DNA and registry system in the country in the post-2012 period," an REC-Turkey report stated.

While China received sizable funds through CDMs to promote investments based on reduced carbon emissions, Turkey has been ineligible to receive them. Similarly, Turkey-based carbon certificates remain undervalued in international carbon markets.

Carbon emitting companies offset their pollution by purchasing credits from renewable energy investors, which in turn gain financial backing for their projects; trading is more profitable for countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol.

Businessman and Wind Power and Hydro Power Plants Businessmen's Association (RESSİAD) President Ümit Tolga Bilgin said he was the first to start carbon emission trading in Turkey in voluntary markets, but complained of low prices.

"Countries that signed the protocol can ask for at least 5 euros per ton, but it is only about 3 or 4 euros because CDMs and its standards do not apply," Bilgin said.

‘Turkey's ratification of Kyoto is of global importance'

Sibel Sezer Eralp, the president of REC-Turkey, said when Turkey ratifies the Kyoto Protocol, it will contribute to developments on the global level in the post-Kyoto era.

"Turkey's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol could even provide a more significant contribution to the international debate than Australia joining the Kyoto in 2007 because Turkey, with its own special circumstances, could bring a clear definition to the still unclear developed/developing countries definitions under the UNFCCC," she said.

As an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) country, Turkey was included in Annex I of the UNFCCC in 1992 and even in Annex II, the list of relatively advanced industrialized countries that have committed themselves to financial and technical transfers to developing countries. Following objections from Turkey, it was eventually removed from Annex II. But as a non-signatory to the original 1997 protocol, it was also not included in Annex B, freeing it from emission reduction commitments. At the end, Turkey was ranked as an "advanced developing country" making it comparable to those of other non-EU developing countries within the OECD.

"So Turkey, as a non-EU member country and as a country not in Annex B, but as country which is a member of the OECD, could cooperate with all countries like South Korea and Mexico, falling under the category of 'advanced developing country'," she said.

Turkey's per capita emissions in 2003 amounted to 4.1 tons per year, which was two-and-a-half times lower than average per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the then EU-25 and more than three times less than the average for all Annex I countries. Its potential to rapidly increase its emissions is high, however, because it has a high number of development projects.

Greece suspended from UN Kyoto carbon trading

Greece has been suspended from UN carbon trading in an unprecedented punishment for violating greenhouse gas reporting rules that underpin a fight against global warming, officials said on Tuesday.

A group of legal experts enforcing compliance with the UN's Kyoto Protocol also said it was opening proceedings against Canada for alleged violations of rules on accounting for heat-trapping gases.

"Greece is declared to be in non-compliance," the enforcement branch said in a statement distributed by the Bonn-based UN Climate Change Secretariat, the first such ruling since Kyoto entered into force in 2005.

Athens had failed to maintain a proper national system for recording greenhouse gas emissions, key to ensuring compliance with the protocol seeking to slow temperature rises that could bring more floods, droughts, heat waves and rising seas.

The Kyoto Protocol imposes a cap on emissions of greenhouse gases by some 37 industrialized countries but allows them to meet their targets by paying for emissions cuts elsewhere, such as in the developing world or former East Bloc nations.

The ruling means that Greece is barred from such offsetting except under one track of emissions trading with former communist countries. Greek companies would still be able to take part in a European Union market for carbon dioxide.

Greece's emissions were running some 26 percent above 1990 levels in 2006, slightly above Greece's Kyoto target of no more than 25 percent above 1990 levels between 2008-12. As a result it has little need to buy offsets.

The enforcement branch also said that Canada had failed to provide a proper registry for greenhouse gases and had missed a Jan. 1, 2007 reporting deadline by more than two months. The Canadian finding was preliminary and needed further research before any final rulings.
Canada's emissions were 25.3 percent above 1990 levels in 2005, far above a Kyoto target of a 6 percent cut by 2008-12. Canada has said its target is unachievable, as it develops oil sands which involve high carbon emissions.

Oslo, London Reuters
04.06.2008
News
YONCA POYRAZ DOĞAN

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=143851