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17 December 2024
An online meeting was held as part of the EU Partnership Project for Local Climate Action in Türkiye Project, an initiative managed by the Directorate of Climate Change.
During the session, the Antalya and Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipalities showcased their successful climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives to local governments across Türkiye.
Both municipalities facilitated a knowledge exchange by sharing their project achievements and field experience with representatives from other local authorities.
Attended by Orhan Solak, Deputy Director of Climate Change, the meeting featured a presentation by the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality on its ongoing work under the Climate Action Plan and Green City Action Plan.
The municipality outlined its sustainable strategies, highlighting its focus on zero-carbon building projects and social vulnerability assessments.
Gaziantep’s innovative waste management portfolio—including methane recovery plants, Bokashi composting, and greenhouses powered by waste heat—was also showcased.
The Antalya Metropolitan Municipality shared its expertise gained through international climate cooperation and research projects.
The municipality detailed its contributions to major initiatives such as Horizon 2020 projects, Climaxx, NetZeroCities, and the AFAD Climate Risk Project.
Beyond the water efficiency programs led by the Directorate General ASAT, the presentation covered environmental sustainability efforts in xeriscaping, carbon sink management, waste management, energy production, climate-resilient agriculture, and marine pollution control.
Interactive Q&A sessions throughout the event fostered stronger inter-municipal collaboration and knowledge transfer.
Participants reviewed specific practices designed to enhance the capacity of local governments to address climate change.
Focused on municipal capacity building, the meeting featured discussions on renewable energy developments, including solar and biogas plants as well as green hydrogen production.
In addition, the sessions highlighted sustainable agriculture and transport solutions, such as solar-powered irrigation and nature-based solutions.
The event opened with remarks from Orhan Solak, Deputy Director of Climate Change; Meral Mungan Arda, Climate Change and Environment Portfolio Manager at the UNDP Türkiye Country Office; Christian Ballarò, Program Officer at the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye; and Fatma Şahin, Mayor of Gaziantep.
The opening addresses emphasized the critical role of local governments in climate action and the vital necessity of interagency cooperation.