As nature suffers from the drawbacks of industrialization and technological developments, 'timely and adequate action' needs to be taken to prevent environmental problems, the Turkish president said on Thursday.
'Industrialization, technological advances, and human-driven effects have unfortunately wreaked serious damage to nature and the environment. Every year, we see and feel the effects of this destruction more and more all over the world.
'If timely and adequate action is not undertaken, environmental disasters, air pollution, water and food security, and biodiversity loss will reach irreversible levels,' Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during his address at Anadolu Agency's Environment Forum in Istanbul.
The one-day forum aims to tackle issues such as the need to create a new media language on environmental and climate issues, international news agencies raising global awareness, the duties of traditional and new media outlets, and the pursuit of environmental awareness in new news areas.
'Undoubtedly, as with any other issue, it is crucial that countries that cause more damage to the environment shoulder greater responsibility and contribute more to the struggle,' Erdogan said.
The president said Anadolu Agency's Environment Forum was organized to help find a solution to the climate and environmental crisis.
'From the media's responsibility in the climate crisis to sustainable development, to the media's approach to natural disasters to responsibility sharing, each of these important issues will be discussed comprehensively at this forum,' he added.
The forum, he said, will be one of the most important global platforms where climate and environmental issues are discussed thoroughly.
- 'Environmental problems one of Türkiye's main concerns'
Erdogan said Türkiye has always considered the fight against climate change and environmental problems as one of its main concerns, and it has taken steps over the last two decades to protect nature and the environment, and to combat climate change.
'We believe that protecting the environment, which is the shared living area of all people, is not a favor, but a responsibility. Although our historical responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions is less than 1%, combating climate and environmental problems is one of our top priorities,' he added.
Türkiye has reaped the benefits of sincere efforts in promoting renewable energy, waste management, forest expansion, and numerous other areas.
'In the use of renewable energy, Türkiye recently rose to 5th place in Europe and 12th place in the world. We achieved this by increasing the share of renewable energy to 55% of our total energy,' he added.
Türkiye also increased its forested areas to 23 million hectares (56.8 million acres), while becoming the country in Europe that expanded its forestland the most.
'Our efforts to establish 81 million square meters of national gardens in 81 provinces continue unabated. While designing our country’s first domestic car, the TOGG, as a fully electric vehicle, we were conscientious of our environmental responsibilities,' Erdogan said.
He added that ratifying the Paris Climate Agreement in 2021 gave Türkiye's fight against climate change significant momentum, saying: 'We will continue to take all necessary steps to achieve our ultimate goal of net zero emissions by 2053.'
- 'Anadolu Agency one of leading climate journalism outlets'
Hailing the Anadolu Agency for organizing the forum, the president said media organizations bear a great responsibility to raise public awareness about climate change and the environment both in Türkiye and worldwide.
'Anadolu Agency has become one of the leading climate journalism outlets not only in our country, but also in the world, with the dedicated Greenline unit it established a short time ago,' Erdogan said.
He added that Anadolu Agency, Türkiye's voice in the world for over 100 years, 'is now telling the whole world about climate change and the environment by seeing the invisible and listening to the unheard. I wish Anadolu Agency all success in the difficult but honorable task it has undertaken.'
Erdogan also thanked the leading international journalists, news agencies, and representatives of international organizations who have contributed to the forum.
By Diyar Guldogan
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr