-Director of Climate Change Prof. Halil Hasar gave remarks to TRT World.

03 January 2025

Director of Climate Change Prof. Halil Hasar gave remarks to TRT World. Emphasizing that decisive steps are needed in the fight against climate change, Hasar told a TRT World correspondent that 2024 broke temperature records and that steadily rising global temperatures once again demonstrate the gravity of the climate crisis. Noting that fossil fuel emissions reached their highest levels on record in 2024, Hasar said, “The climate crisis is leading to a growing number of disasters and financial challenges. We must not stand still in the fight against climate change, nor can we afford to fall behind our targets."

Pointing out that there were some developments in climate finance in 2024, Hasar added, “According to the World Meteorological Organization, rising temperatures are the warning bells of greenhouse gas emissions. Difficulties in meeting mitigation targets persist.”

He also noted that rising temperatures were mainly caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Some key highlights from Hasar’s remarks to TRT World are as follows:

In the long term, steadily rising and ultimately peaking carbon dioxide levels that drive greenhouse gas emissions are causing temperature records to be broken. Our planet is facing heatwaves, floods, and drought. These impacts clearly show how critical the climate crisis has become. Despite warnings, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, driven largely by fossil fuels. Failure to reduce emissions will become a critical problem in the fight against climate change. Without determined action, the future of our planet will become increasingly uncertain. Renewable energy and electric vehicles are therefore of great importance. Renewable energy sources continue to expand. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewable energy capacity grew at a record pace in 2023, but more than a just transition is needed to ensure the development of nations.