Ankara ECO Climate Summit Started

Capital Ankara is hosting the “ECO CLIMATE Summit”. Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş, who spoke at the opening of the summit with 12 thousand local and foreign participants, from heads of state to politicians, representatives of public institutions and organizations, NGOs, Metropolitan Mayors, artists, business people, academics, writers and journalists, and representatives of professional chambers, said: gave important warnings. Indicating that investments in line with the EU Green Deal approach should be focused on and fossil fuel energy should be abandoned as soon as possible, Yavaş said, “If no action is taken on climate change, an annual economic loss of 2050 trillion dollars is expected in 23.”

Organized for the first time in the Capital under the leadership of Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO), the “ECO CLIMATE Summit” hosts 12 thousand local and foreign participants.

To the “ECO CLIMATE: Economy and Climate Change Summit” held at the ATO Congresium, where all aspects of 'climate change' and 'green transformation' will be discussed; heads of state, politicians, metropolitan mayors, business people, academics, journalists, writers, bankers, artists and many NGO representatives.

Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş, who attended the opening session of the summit, also drew attention to climate change and the approaching climate crisis and made important warnings.

WARNING 2050 FROM SLOW

ABB President Mansur Yavaş, who came to the podium with applause, expressed his satisfaction that the summit is being held in Ankara and said, "I find it very valuable that Ankara has a pioneering city identity in this regard."

Noting that unusual events have taken place recently due to climate change, Yavaş said, “The increase in forest fires and flood disasters, the prolongation of the drought duration and severity, the increase in sea level and the deterioration in the ecosystem adversely affect our entire lives, both materially and morally. If no action is taken in this regard, it is estimated that by 2050, an annual economic loss of 23 trillion dollars will occur.

Expressing that the unpreparedness of the cities and the infrastructural investments, the urbanization process and the lack of planning in line with the climate crisis will increase the economic costs, Yavaş continued his speech as follows:

“To give an example from the city we live in, it is known that only 3 percent of the total area is inhabited in Ankara. 97 percent of our city consists of vacant land. We experience together how much damage this stuck urbanization model has done to Ankara. While it is raining in one neighborhood, we often experience a daily sunny weather in another. The moral impact of our citizens on forest fires, floods and droughts has no monetary value for us. Unfortunately, in the past years, we have also experienced a lot of loss of life because of the lack of adaptive approaches to climate change.”

PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT, FOSSIL FUEL AND CARBON TAX

Reminding that Turkey is a party to the Paris Climate Agreement that entered into force in 2020 and stating that priority should be given to green transformation investments, Yavaş said:

“72 percent of the greenhouse gases that cause the climate crisis in our country originate from the energy sector. It is necessary to accelerate the purification of this sector, which is based on fossil fuels, from fossil fuels. Coal-fired power plants are gradually abandoned in the European Union and England. Our industrialists and farmers, who take a leading role in exports to the European Union, will soon be subject to carbon tax at the border with the green agreement approach. Instead of paying taxes to the EU at the border, investing in green transformation will both improve our domestic technology and increase our employment conditions."

Stating that Ankara Metropolitan Municipality has undertaken environmental projects, Yavaş said, “We contribute to our city and indeed to all humanity with Turkey's first 100 percent domestic bus converted to international standards, our renewable energy and environmental technologies center, our green areas and activities we do for the effective use of water resources.” .

CLIMATE AMBASSADOR GIVES PLACES SLOWLY TO BEREN SAAT AND KENAN DOĞULU

ABB President Mansur Yavaş, to whom the attendees showed great interest, also thanked the climate ambassadors, Beren Saat and Kenan Doğulu, for their contributions to the summit, and presented a plaque.

In his speech at the slow plaque ceremony, he said, “This organization held in Ankara is very important for Ankara to become a brand for the whole world. On behalf of the people of Ankara, I thank you for your contribution. We have also listened to your complaints. Hopefully, with the EKO CLIMATE Summit, we will leave a beautiful country and a beautiful world to our grandchildren for future generations. Never lose hope. There are bright young people here, they will definitely do much better things than us," he said.

300 national and international speakers will attend more than 20 sessions at the summit, which will continue for two days, including stands of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality and Ankara City Council. There will also be B2B meetings, certified training programs, trainings, workshops, exhibitions, concerts, concerts and mini shows at the summit.