Greens Criticise Black Clouds on Turkey's Horizon

Turkey has published its "National Strategy Document on Climate Change" which was prepared for the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference being held in Denmark from 7.-18. December.

"Turkey is a partner for the solution" is the title of the strategy document prepared with the aim to contribute to the global efforts of decreasing the effects of climate change within the given national circumstances and opportunities.

The Greens Party criticise that although the report states that Turkey is behind in terms of greenhouse gas emissions compared to developed countries, the rate of increase has not been taken into account. The Greens pointed out that the total greenhouse gas emissions added up to 170 million tons in 1990, while in 2007 it was a "record breaking" amount of 372 million tons.

According to the Greens, the government did not define a goal. Since the increase of greenhouse gas emissions exceeds the average of the European Union, the document did not grasp the core of the subject of climate change, they said.

The party claimed that nuclear energy should be excluded from the document as it does not provide a solution for the struggle against climate change.

Greenpeace: Increase of emissions by 30 percent till 2020

Hilal Atıcı is in charge of the Greenpeace Mediterranean Energy and Climate Campaign. He evaluated the situation as follows: "As far as defence or international economic fields are concerned, a gigantic G20 state like Turkey declares with this document to be merely a 'dwarf'. The government has to adopt the goal of reducing emissions by at least 30 percent until 2020. If the country continues on the existing stance, Turkey will not be remembered as a partner for a solution but as a country constituting a significant obstacle to the Copenhagen treaty", Atıcı warned.

Targets set in the document

As reported by Dünya newspaper, "Under the heading of 'Greenhouse Gas Emission Control' the subparagraph on 'Energy' targets an increase of energy efficiency on a short term base. In the medium term, it aims at the improvement of thermal power plants with a special focus on renewable energy and at the development of nuclear energy technologies. In the long run, it targets to utilize mostly local resources like coal, hydro, wind, geothermal and solar energy".

Under the subheading of "Transportation", an increased share of railways is projected, i.e. an expansion of subway and light rail networks in major cities.

The subparagraph regarding "Industry" is aimed at the development of waste storage solutions and regulations for reducing greenhouse gas emissions stemming from waste. (İP/VK)