07 October 2021
Turkey ratifies the Paris Agreement, dooming a dozen planned coal plants
ISTANBUL, 7 October 2021 – Turkey’s parliament has unanimously voted to ratify the Paris Agreement ahead of the UNFCCC COP26 climate conference. President Ergodan announced the country’s intention to ratify the Paris Agreement along with a 2053 net zero target last month at the UNGA, and this ratification marks a major shift in Turkey’s climate policy, effectively ruling out any significant long-term future for coal.
‘‘Signing up to the Paris Agreement and the goal of limiting global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celius is a turning point for Turkey. The government now understands that the carbon-intensive growth plan it has been trying to push is doomed,” said Duygu Kutlay, Europe Beyond Coal Turkey campaigner. “Turkey must lay out how it will live up to its responsibility on climate change and phase out coal. The upcoming COP 26 would be an ideal platform to confirm its climate ambition by announcing that it has no intention to pursue new coal projects and join the international ‘no new coal’ compact.”
A joint statement made by 15 organisations [1] working on climate change, anticipates that, following the ratification of the Paris agreement, the Turkish government will now set ambitious emission reduction targets and decide on key mitigation measures to achieve them. Currently, Turkey is the 16th biggest greenhouse gas emitter globally, and its per capita emissions are increasing [2]. This statement also identifies a rapid and just phase out of coal power is the most important first step on this path.
“Replacing our coal plants with renewable electricity sources is essential to protect the Turkish people from terrible air pollution, to stop the destruction of communities like Akbelen, and to address climate impacts like this year’s tragic wildfires. The benefits of climate action and clean energy development are many, and sharing them equally throughout society must be a priority,’’ concluded Kutluay.
ENDS
Contacts:
Alastair Clewer, Communications Officer, Europe Beyond Coal
[email protected], +49 176 433 07 185
Duygu Kutluay, Turkey Campaigner, Europe Beyond Coal Campaign
[email protected], +90 532 6385421
Notes
Joint statement. Signatory organisations:
350.org
CAN Europe
Buğday Ekolojik Yaşamı Destekleme Derneği
Doğa Derneği
Doğa Koruma Merkezi
Ege Orman Vakfı
Genç Düşünce Enstitüsü
Greenpeace Akdeniz
İklim Değişikliği Politika ve Araştırma Derneği (İDPAD)
Kömürün Ötesinde Avrupa (Europe Beyond Coal)
Sürdürülebilir Ekonomi ve Finans Araştırmaları Derneği (SEFiA)
TEMA Vakfı
WWF-Türkiye
Yeşil Düşünce Derneği
Yuva Derneği
https://www.wri.org/insights/interactive-chart-shows-changes-worlds-top-10-emitters
About:
Europe Beyond Coal is an alliance of civil society groups working to catalyse the closures of coal mines and power plants, prevent the building of any new coal projects and hasten the just transition to clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Our groups are devoting their time, energy and resources to this independent campaign to make Europe coal free by 2030 or sooner. www.beyond-coal.eu