At the Turkey Sectoral Low Carbon Road Maps Introduction Program held at Gebze Bilişim Vadisi on March 18, developments regarding the green transition of Turkish industry and the net zero emission target for 2053 were shared.
In his opening speech, İlker Murat Ar, industry general manager at Turkey’s ministry of industry and technology, stated that a holistic and innovative approach is being followed in the road maps prepared for the sectors subject to Europe’s carbon border adjustment mechanism. Mr. Ar added that the successful implementation of green transformation will enable sectors to become more competitive in the global market and create additional market opportunities.
In addition, Hasan Mandal, president of TÜBİTAK (the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey), noted that a budget of $175 million, consisting of three packages, has been allocated for the green transformation of Turkish industry in line with the net zero emission target for 2053. Speaking after Mr. Mandal, Hande Işlak, director at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, stated that an investment of $70 billion is required in the next 30 years for the steel, aluminum, cement and fertilizer industries, which are subject to the carbon border adjustment mechanism.
Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Turkish minister of industry and technology, who participated at the program, said that the road maps will be an important milestone in the green transformation of businesses. The minister stated that, in line with the 2053 emission target, the road maps aim to reduce emissions by 75 percent in the aluminum sector, by 99 percent in the steel sector, 93 percent in the cement sector, and to achieve zero emissions in the fertilizer sector.
Noting that the ministry has implemented the World Bank-supported Turkey Organized Industrial Zones Project to accelerate the transformation of organized industrial zones into green ones, Mr. Kacır said that the ministry has started works on infrastructure containing green and technological solutions, advanced wastewater treatment facilities, water recovery, solar energy power plants, zero waste and biogas facility projects in the organized industrial zones. The minister stated that the ministry will implement an investment plan that will help accelerate actions within the scope of the road maps in the coming period.