Green Beginnings Izmir Workshop Has Ended

At the "Green Stories of Turkey" workshop, the works carried out by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality for a "Resilient and Green" city were explained. Making the opening speech of the workshop, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Advisor Güven Eken said, “Since the day he took office, our Bronze President has been working to establish a city that does not build walls between itself and nature. We think that we are carrying out pioneering and exemplary works for both Turkey and the world.” The Deputy Ambassador of the Netherlands to Ankara, Erik Weststrate, said that he is considering settling in Izmir when he retires.

The "Green Beginnings Izmir Workshop" organized by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and the Dutch Embassy as part of the "Green Stories of Turkey" program ended with the second meeting held at the Historical Coal Gas Factory. Bureaucrats of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and İzmir Governorship, members of Nature Association, representatives of professional chambers and environmental volunteers attended the workshop. At the Green Stories Initiative Meeting of İzmir, the works carried out by the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality under the titles of livable, sustainable and smart cities were presented with presentations.

“We are working to remove the walls between nature and the city”

Making the opening speech of the workshop, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Advisor Güven Eken said that İzmir is the first city in Turkey to be included in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Green Cities Program. Eken, Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç SoyerHe emphasized that the 'Green City Action Plan' and 'Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan' were completed in İzmir in line with the 'Resilient and Green City' vision.

Eken said, “Change in the world is a change triggered by cities. More than half of the world's population now lives in cities. When we say climate crisis, harmony with nature, we know that the solutions must be in the place that creates the problem, namely in the cities. Since the day he was elected, our President Tunç has been working to establish a city that does not build walls between itself and nature. We are carrying out all our strategic plans, sub-action plans and projects in this direction in İzmir. We think that we are carrying out pioneering and exemplary works both for Turkey and the world. We are trying to implement a unique, nature-friendly city policy for İzmir by making use of ancient cultures and examples. In İzmir, we are trying to make cities a part of the earth's ecosystem again by removing the walls, physical, cultural and economic barriers between nature and the city. This is the only thing we can do to solve a universal problem like the climate crisis," he said.

“Our goal is a cleaner and more livable environment”

Şükran Nurlu, Secretary General of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, also presented data on the energy policy in the city. Expressing that the electricity needs of the companies of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality are met from renewable energy sources, nature-based solutions are implemented in the face of problems and energy is produced from waste, Nurlu also emphasized that the wear and tear in the world has increased in recent years. Nurlu said, “Our world is rebelling. We are living the result of the rebellion together. It is necessary to stop here, to be able to tell something else. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality has some initiatives and projects to stop all activities that increase the acceleration. It is very valuable for the story to be told, carried and settled in thought. We have demonstrated how we will reach our target of 2030% reduction in carbon emissions by 40. We established İzmir Agriculture Development Center. We will reduce carbon emissions, but something has changed; We have to live up to it. How will we produce the food? We have a seed center, a tool that serves a purpose. People's Grocery Stores opened. We sell products produced through cooperatives. Our goal is to serve citizens in a cleaner and more livable environment.

“I'm thinking of moving to Izmir when I retire”

Emphasizing the importance of the concept of sustainable energy, the Netherlands' Deputy Ambassador to Ankara Erik Weststrate stated that as the Netherlands, they only support cities at the beginning of the process. Stating that the works to be carried out later depend on the cities, Weststrate opened a separate parenthesis on the situation of İzmir. Weststrate said, “We are in Izmir today. I am so happy. I love İzmir very much. When I retire, I plan to settle in Izmir. I'm already looking for a house. In this meeting, very good ideas were produced and considered. I'm looking forward to them. I am very proud to be a part of this. We didn't do this alone. Everyone, whether it be the Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, its advisors, and heads of departments, gave ideas in this organization.”