Success at the national level proves inspiring for other REC country offices
By Yunus Arikan
Since Turkey's accession to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2004, the country has taken promising steps in joining the global effort to meet the challenges posed by anthropogenic climate change.
In early 2007, the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry submitted the country's first greenhouse gas inventory and national communication to the UNFCCC Secretariat, a report that was a result of a collaborative effort of many governmental institutions and stakeholders, and which also involved technical assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and financial support from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF). Recalling the international community's 2001 recognition that Turkey's position is different from those of other Annex-I parties to the UNFCCC, the country — based on greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 300 million tonnes in 2004 — ranks as an 'advanced developing country.' In other words, Turkey's status is comparable to those of other non-EU developing countries within the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Extreme climatic events and the latest International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports have resulted in nationwide public awareness of environmental issues, a development that led to the March 1, 2007 establishment of a Parliamentary Research Commission in the Turkish Grand National Assembly. The commission was given three months to provide key recommendations for decision makers, and the body's findings are expected to help provide significant input as Turkey develops a climate change strategy, but will also play an important role as the country starts to consider options regarding the Kyoto Protocol.
Environmental NGOs are also trying to become more active in the process. A petition demanding Turkey's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol was signed by more than 150,000 citizens in less than six weeks — much faster than expected, and a clear indication of public concern about the issue, as thousands of Turkish citizens gathered to express voluble support. Also, as part of a global campaign to raise environmental awareness, Turkish citizens can look forward to the Istanbul appearance of former US vice president Al Gore, in addition to a 'Live Earth' concert in July.
