TÜSİAD discussed the transition to the low-carbon economy

TÜSİAD organized a seminar titled “Transition to the Low-Carbon Economy: Expectation for the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP 18/Doha) and After” on 27th December 2012. The conference discussed the transition to the low-carbon economy in Turkey and the role of the private sector, within the broader framework of the “UN Climate Change” summit which met in Doha in December 2012.

The seminar evaluated the consequences of the UN Climate Change summit for Turkey and the Turkish business community and the opening addresses were delivered by Mr. Muhammet Balta, Deputy Minister of Environment and Urban Planning, and Ms. Ümit Boyner, President of the Board of Directors of TÜSİAD.

Ms. Ümit Boyner indicated in her speech that the new climate regime will take effect starting with the year of 2020 and this leaves a narrow window of opportunity for Turkey. Ms. Boyner reminded that TÜSİAD has been following the international developments and directly participating to the international platforms aiming at a solution of the climate change problem, and hence it took part in the climate change negotiations in the international arena, without interruption, since 2008. Remarking that the climate change is currently one of the greatest risks in front of humanity Ms. Boyner said that since 1992, the changing socioeconomic balances and developmental disparities caused difficulties in designing a new climate regime by an international consensus. Ms. Boyner stressed that the changing priorities of the states after the financial crisis, altered energy balances because of the impacts of the shale gas and the Fukushima disaster, and increased use of coal as a result of falling coal prices, further complicated the situation. She also remarked that in spite of the international efforts for the use of renewable energy and the improvement of the energy efficiency, national policies and the commitment of the countries are not sufficient to decrease the greenhouse gas emission.

Ambassador Mithat RENDE, General Director of the Multilateral Economic Affairs, Energy and the Environment at the Foreign Ministry was the keynote speaker of the seminar.

The seminar included a session titled “Assessment of the Aftermath of the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP 18/Doha)” moderated by Mr. Kerem Okumuş, Director of the Climate Platform. In this session Mr. Levent Çakıroğlu, CEO of Arçelik and the term Speaker of the Climate Platform, Mr. Hakan Gürdal, General Manager of Akçansa, Ms. Vesile Kulaçoğlu, Director of the Trade and Environment at the World Trade Organization, Dr. Katalin Zaim, Program Manager at United Nations Development Program, and Ambassador Mithat RENDE, General Director of the Multilateral Economic Affairs, Energy and the Environment at the Foreign Ministry delivered speeches.

The 18th session of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-18) was held on December 2012 in Doha, Qatar.

TÜSİAD organized a side event within the framework of the UN Climate Change Conference, with the title of “Transition to the Low-Carbon Economy in Turkey and The Role of the Private Sector, on December 6th, 2012.