Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The council which lasted 5 days and hosted many representatives from the private sector, financial institutions, academicians, students and other relevant stakeholders, was also actively attended by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB).

In the first 3 days of the council, 7 commissions (Greenhouse Gas Reduction Policies 1 (Energy, Transport, Industry); Greenhouse Gas Reduction Policies 2 (Agriculture, Waste, AKAKDO, Buildings); Carbon Pricing and Green Financing; Climate Change Adaptation; Local Governments; Immigration, Fair Transformation and Other Social Policies; Science and Technology) technical meetings were held. The views of the private sector were conveyed by TOBB representatives at the meetings.

In these meetings, effective use of renewable energy sources for transition to zero emission vehicles; green hydrogen for transition to alternative fuels; ingestion areas for transition to emission management in buildings; the establishment of the Emissions Trading System for access to sources of financing; the production of new technologies for transition to digitalization, how to combat climate change and adapt were discussed.

After the technical meetings, on the 4^th day of the Council, high-level roundtables were held for these commissions, chaired by the Deputy Ministers of the relevant Ministries. TOBB Vice President Selçuk Öztürk attended the Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Policies 1 (Energy, Transport, Industry) commission, TOBB Board Member Cihat Lokmanoğlu attended the Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Policies 2 (Agriculture, Waste, AKAKDO, Buildings) commission, TOBB Board Member Mehmet Büyüksimitci attended the Science and Technology Commission, TOBB Sectors and Entrepreneurship Department Head A. Saygın Baban attended the green finance and carbon pricing commission roundtables and conveyed TOBB's views.

On the evening of the 4^th day of the Council, the “Green Deal and Transformation in Industry” panel was held in the TOBB organization. TOBB Vice President Selçuk Öztürk, Vice President of the Turkish Exporters Council Başaran Bayrak, Sabancı Holding Industry Group President and TÜSİAD Energy and Environment Roundtable Chairman Cevdet Alemdar and MUSİAD Energy and Environment Sector Board Chairman Altuğ Karataş attended the panel moderated by Ziya Altunyaldız, Chairman of the Turkish Parliament's Industry, Trade, Energy, Natural Resources, Information and Technology Commission.

In the panel, questions were directed about the opportunities that the Green Deal can bring and what can be done, Selçuk Öztürk stated that Turkey should not fall behind in developments in an environment where climate change does not listen to borders and all countries announce their net zero targets.

Öztürk stated that the Green Deal is also a trade policy and that a carbon pricing system should be established immediately, given that about 40% of Turkey's exports are to the European Union.

Öztürk explained that the Green Deal also holds opportunities, adding that the climate crisis is a matter for the next 30 years and that assessments should be made from this point of view.

The panel ended with the answering of the questions of the participants.

On the last day of the Council, the recommendations consisting of 217 articles were read and put to a vote. After the unanimous adoption of the decisions by the members of the Council, a closing speech was given by yhe Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum.