The Director of Climate Change, Prof. Halil Hasar, attended the CDP Türkiye 15th Climate Change & Nature Conference and Awards Ceremony.
16 May 2025
The Director of Climate Change, Prof. Halil Hasar, attended the CDP Türkiye 15th Climate Change & Nature Conference and Awards Ceremony.
At the ceremony held in Istanbul under the theme “Strengthening Interoperability in a Transforming Reporting Ecosystem,” award recipients received their honors from Director Hasar.
Delivering the opening address at the awards ceremony organized by Sabancı University, which brought together representatives of the business community, Director Hasar said he found the event meaningful and expressed his pleasure at taking part.
He underlined that climate change is not merely an environmental issue, but a crisis that has direct implications for the economy, social order, global stability, and human security.
Pointing out that the crisis is not a concern of the future but the most urgent issue of our time, Director Hasar said, “Combating climate change and adapting to it require the reorganization of long-established systems and structures so that they go beyond a purely profit-driven approach to also encompass environmental and social dimensions.”
Stressing that business models centered on economic growth need to be revised to place sustainability at their core, Director Hasar continued:
“The world of business must keep pace with change and transformation. From the perspective of the business community, two fundamental dynamics stand out. These are the shifting expectations of customers and a profound transformation in the legal framework.
The green transition process carries strategic importance not only in terms of reducing emissions, but also in integrating economic development with environmental sustainability. Within this context, preparations for our Climate Law are ongoing, and with its enactment we aim to introduce the National Emissions Trading System.”
“ETS and other carbon pricing mechanisms will accelerate emissions reductions, particularly in the industrial sector, while also making a significant contribution to mobilizing the financial resources required for the green transition,” Director Hasar said, adding, “In this respect, carbon pricing policies will not only deliver environmental benefits but will also become one of the cornerstone elements of economic transformation.”
Drawing attention to the growing importance of environmental reporting in terms of access to sustainable finance mechanisms, Director Hasar said, “CDP plays a key role in helping companies comply with regulations and provide transparent data.
CDP’s contributions are highly valuable to us within the scope of Türkiye’s 2053 Net Zero Target. As the Directorate of Climate Change, a transparent, consistent, and reliable sustainability reporting framework is indispensable for us.”
Referring to the National Green Taxonomy of Türkiye, Director Hasar said, “Through the Green Taxonomy, we define sustainable activities in a clear and transparent manner. We determine which economic activities are environmentally sustainable and under what conditions. Our aim is to channel finance toward investments that deliver environmental benefits. This system will provide investors with confidence and enable companies to direct their resources to the right areas.”
As part of the program, a panel session titled “Strengthening Interoperability in a Transforming Reporting Ecosystem” was also held, and 15 companies were honored in the CDP Global 2024 Climate Change and Water Leader category.