Director of Climate Change Prof. Hasar attended the “Climate Talks” program in Niğde, where he was present for a series of engagements.
28 May 2025
Director of Climate Change Prof. Hasar attended the “Climate Talks” program in Niğde, where he was present for a series of engagements. The second leg of the “Climate Talks” program, organized by the Directorate of Climate Change and covering provinces across Türkiye, was held in Niğde.
Meeting with representatives of civil society organizations, officials from governmental organizations, academics, university students, and citizens, Director Hasar made statements regarding the reality of climate change and the forthcoming Climate Law. During the program where necessary climate action initiatives were discussed, Director Hasar also answered questions posed about climate change and the Climate Law during the program. Some highlights from his remarks delivered at the Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University Congress Hall were as follows:
“91 of 100 disasters worldwide are caused by climate change.”
Our country is located in the Mediterranean Basin, which is extremely vulnerable to climate change. In this region, temperature increases have exceeded 1.5 °C. This increase has caused disasters such as forest fires, sudden and severe rainfall, floods, drought, and extreme weather events to become more frequent and more destructive in recent years. Ninety-one of every one hundred disasters worldwide are caused by climate change.
“The Climate Law is not a penal law.”
There are no negative sanctions regarding agriculture or livestock farming in the law. Claims such as “you will not be able to feed flowers” or “you will not be able to plant trees” circulating on social media are false. The Climate Law fully promotes the protection of agriculture and the safeguarding of food security. It specifically refers to strategy documents aimed at empowering those engaged in organic farming in rural areas. Moreover, there are no provisions related to livestock farming in the Climate Law. The Climate Law is designed to protect society, citizens, and the state.
“The Climate Law is a piece of legislation that protects producers.”
Niğde, which ranks third in apple production in Türkiye, lost 80 percent of its apples this year due to frost events. If the Climate Law had been in force, climate disaster insurance mechanisms would have been activated to compensate these losses. If the Climate Law had been in force, climate disaster insurance mechanisms would have been activated to compensate these losses.
“The Climate Law is a law aimed at expanding and protecting forests.”
The volume of water on Earth is not decreasing, but due to extreme weather events, water that should fall in one region is shifting to another. These waters either become polluted, flow into the seas, turn into wastewater, or remain beyond our reach. The Climate Law does not impose restrictions in such matters but rather contains protective provisions. Furthermore, the Climate Law is entirely aimed at expanding and protecting forests.
After his address, Director Hasar answered questions from the audience.