President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan penned the introduction to the book "Türkiye’s Green Development Initiative" prepared by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications.
Pointing out that the industrial revolution and the Western civilisation has seen nature as a commodity that should be dominated from the industrial revolution on has left the world confronted with environmental disasters today, President Erdoğan pointed out that this approach which disregards the air, water and soil, in favour of increased production and profits, is gradually transforming our world into an uninhabitable place.
Stating that the natural disasters experienced in recent years have demonstrated that countries that disregarded green development principles endanger not only themselves but also the whole humanity, President Erdoğan underlined the need for a new roadmap that cherishes and prioritises the environment over economic gain.
"As members of a civilisation that teaches "Plant a tree, even if it is your last deed," our country places a premium on environmental protection." President Erdoğan said and added:
"An economic model that prioritises growth at the expense of nature is incompatible with our nation's faith and culture. Since 2002, we have viewed development through this lens as a comprehensive transformation process that includes social, technological, institutional, and environmental dimensions alongside economic growth. We have not strayed away from our sustainable development goals, which include ensuring equitable income distribution, increasing employment, and supporting disadvantaged segments of society while steering the Turkish economy to the highest growth rates in its history. Furthermore, we have made remarkable progress in areas such as renewable energy, waste management, and forest expansion. As a result of the "Zero Waste" project, the most significant step we have taken in waste management, we have embarked on a new era in terms of environmental protection and recycling awareness among our citizens.
By ratifying the Paris Climate Agreement in September, we effectively crowned all the environmental projects we have undertaken over the last 19 years."
Recalling that Türkiye has committed to achieving net-zero emission by 2053 as part of the Paris Agreement harmonisation process, President Erdoğan emphasised that significant steps will be taken to attain the net-zero emission goal, which entails bringing greenhouse gases emitted by fossil fuels on par with those absorbed and eliminated by oceans and green areas.
"Developed countries should assume more liability"
Stating that designing Türkiye’s first domestic vehicle as an electric vehicle, making breakthroughs in renewable technologies, and providing incentives for smart buildings and cities are examples of moving in this direction, President Erdoğan said:
"Climate change demonstrates how justified our country is in objecting to the inequities in the global leadership system. It is essential that the fight against the climate crisis, which is the shared problem of the whole of humanity, is conducted on the basis of global cooperation and solidarity as well. Developed countries, which have exacerbated climate change due to their economic policies to date, should assume more liability in this process. Otherwise, new injustices and inequities will inevitably be experienced. Türkiye lends sincere support to the fight against climate change, although our historical responsibility for the current state of affairs is minuscule. We believe that humanity has now reached a crossroads in the fight against climate change. It has become more of an obligation than a need for humanity to act with an approach that respects the rights of the environment of both our children and all living things on earth. Inspired by its long-standing culture, Türkiye is determined to assume a leading and effective role in resolving the climate crisis in the upcoming period by placing the Green Development Initiative at the centre of all its efforts."