Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Speaking at the meeting attended by the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum, Yavuz stated that the issue of climate change was activated in 2021 and placed at the top of the agenda in the world, reminding that 2053 was announced by the most authoritative mouth as the year in which we will reach net zero. Faik Yavuz said, “I see the period we are in as a green industrial revolution. The Green Deal process is a new development and enrichment process initiated by the EU. On the other hand, we will see that the financial system will also go through a kind of greening process. Green investments' access to the financial system will become cheaper and easier. Now banks will require companies to document their carbon and water footprint. We will change the refrigerators in our homes, cars, and even the house itself, and ultimately the way we live. EU companies have already started to take into account the carbon footprint and waste management of their suppliers here.”

-Transition to green and circular economy

Stating that the main buyers in the EU have already sent letters to their suppliers and announced that companies that contribute to the “green and circular economy” will be given priority in their purchasing processes, Faik Yavuz said, “I am proud to say, the Turkish private sector has also started its work in this context quickly. Many companies prepare sustainability reports. It identifies risks on a company basis, measures its carbon footprint and sets targets for itself.  By making improvements according to this target, it takes a step forward in exports. As TOBB, we encourage these efforts. We have the EU Green Deal commission, which includes the presidents of the Chambers/Commodity Exchanges, and the European Green Deal sectoral workgroup consisting of sector representatives. Here, we address the issue of circular economy, design sectoral views, prepare policy documents and shed light on the sectors.”

TOBB Board of Directors Treasurer Faik Yavuz said: “As TOBB, we have determined the fight against climate change as the most important field of work. We follow all developments closely. We continue our trainings to inform our sectors. We provide guidance for increasing the capacities of our Chambers and Commodity Exchanges with various projects. Finally, we established the Climate and Environment Portal.  We have gathered the projects, documents, activities and trainings prepared by public and private sector institutions and organizations related to the green transformation in a single portal in terms of their integrity. The portal will also include information on green transformation support packages, funding sources, grants and incentives. In a very short time, we are launching carbon footprint calculation software for all our companies. In particular, SMEs will be able to calculate their carbon footprint by entering their data into this software and identify areas of improvement. Within the scope of this event, which will continue for 2 days, our colleagues will talk in detail about our work and vision as TOBB. Now it is the turn of the Climate Law, which is suitable for the conditions of our country and will facilitate the green transformation of our sectors and regions. From the design to the implementation of the Emission Trading System, which is foreseen to be established within the scope of the Law, it is very important that the segment that will be most affected by this process, namely the sectors, is represented in the Boards and commissions. Unfortunately, the bureaucratic obstacles that companies face in terms of energy efficiency projects and transition to renewable energy prevent them from investing in this area. In this sense, especially the processes for companies to establish unlicensed solar power plants need to be simplified. It is important to remember that a significant amount of fixed capital investment is required to achieve the green transformation.”

Stating that from the past to the present, from the period of “produce as long as you produce, produce how you produce” to the period of “production from today to the future, to the period of production respecting the environment,” Yavuz said, “As the trust of our children and young people, we must protect this world we live in not only while we live but also while producing. That is why we must continue to produce with a sustainable, green, environmentalist, zero-waste, energy-efficient, green energy-using production model. As Türkiye's entrepreneurial power, we will continue to invest in the future of our country by supporting the green production model that respects the environment.”

- Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum stated that they will issue a “Green Transformation Certificate in Industry” as an indicator of environmental production to the facilities that demonstrate energy and resource efficiency, zero pollution principle for air, water and soil.

In his speech at the “Green Transformation in Industry Seminar”, Kurum noted that the world has a history of billions of years, while the understanding of production, which was established with the industrial revolution and has been going on for 200 years, has made life easier and caused the ecological balance to be shaken.

Kurum said the United Nations' latest Global Risks Report this year found that 91 percent of disasters are climate-related.

Kurum stated that they are carrying out climate change efforts with determination with all sectors and that they have now reached the final stage in their work on the Climate Law together with the Climate Coordination Board, “In 2023, we will have put forward the Climate Law in accordance with our targets for 2053 net zero emissions.”