’Environment can benefit from crisis’
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Hurriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Aralık 17, 2008 00:00
ANKARA - ’Turkey still needs to deal with many environmental challenges. Pollution from agriculture is still a major problem and there are subsidies which encourage polluting activities [especially in agriculture and energy fields],’ says Angel Gurria, OECD’s secretary general
The global financial crisis should not be an excuse for Turkey to fail in meeting long term environmental targets and reverse the notable work that had been done, said Angel Gurria, secretary general of the OECD.
"The crisis will perhaps last 18 months but the environmental problems and climate change will affect humanity for even longer. The crisis actually offers good opportunities."
"Environmental problems and climate change are major challenges faced by humanity. But the financial crisis should not be a destructive factor," Gurria said.
Gurria was one participants alongside Environment Minister Veysel Eroğlu in a press conference yesterday promoting the OECD’s 2008 report, Environmental Performance Review of Turkey. The report is the OECD’s second environmental assessment report on Turkey after its first report in 1999 and analyzes Turkey’s environmental performance in the fields of air, water, nature and biodiversity management, sustainable development as well as the integration of Turkey’s environmental policies to social and economical policies.
Gurria said Turkey has made significant progress on environmental issues since 1999 and was one of the fastest growing economies among the OECD countries. It was the world leader in fighting soil erosion, increasing its forestry areas to 27.2 percent. Turkey also was increasingly adopting its environmental legislation to that of the European Union.
Pollution and road-oriented transport a problem
"However, Turkey still needs to deal with many environmental challenges. Pollution from agriculture is still a major problem and there are subsidies which encourage polluting activities [especially in the field of agriculture and energy]," he said, and added, Turkey should consider environmental factors in energy and transportation sectors.
The initiatives should include more environmentally friendly projects in the Southeast Anatolia Project, or GAP, and Turkey should adopt more comprehensive legislation on water.
"Turkey should take measures on climate change. Despite work that has been done, Turkey’s rich biodiversity is under threat. Therefore, we propose Turkey increase its protected areas to 10 percent of its overall size by 2010," he said.
The OECD report similarly encouraged Turkey to intensify its efforts in the management of its air, water and natural assets and the development of environmental infrastructure.
The report said Turkey was experienced increasing environmental pressure from the energy, industry, agriculture, transport and tourism industries, resulting in environmental challenges concerning air quality, water services and resources, waste management, soil erosion, nature protection and marine issues.
Pollution needed to be reduced, the transportation system should be shifted from land to other modes of transport, including railways, pollution from agricultural should be reduced, forestation efforts should continue and the inventory of endangered species should be completed, the report said.
"The crisis will perhaps last 18 months but the environmental problems and climate change will affect humanity for even longer. The crisis actually offers good opportunities."
"Environmental problems and climate change are major challenges faced by humanity. But the financial crisis should not be a destructive factor," Gurria said.
Gurria was one participants alongside Environment Minister Veysel Eroğlu in a press conference yesterday promoting the OECD’s 2008 report, Environmental Performance Review of Turkey. The report is the OECD’s second environmental assessment report on Turkey after its first report in 1999 and analyzes Turkey’s environmental performance in the fields of air, water, nature and biodiversity management, sustainable development as well as the integration of Turkey’s environmental policies to social and economical policies.
Gurria said Turkey has made significant progress on environmental issues since 1999 and was one of the fastest growing economies among the OECD countries. It was the world leader in fighting soil erosion, increasing its forestry areas to 27.2 percent. Turkey also was increasingly adopting its environmental legislation to that of the European Union.
Pollution and road-oriented transport a problem
"However, Turkey still needs to deal with many environmental challenges. Pollution from agriculture is still a major problem and there are subsidies which encourage polluting activities [especially in the field of agriculture and energy]," he said, and added, Turkey should consider environmental factors in energy and transportation sectors.
The initiatives should include more environmentally friendly projects in the Southeast Anatolia Project, or GAP, and Turkey should adopt more comprehensive legislation on water.
"Turkey should take measures on climate change. Despite work that has been done, Turkey’s rich biodiversity is under threat. Therefore, we propose Turkey increase its protected areas to 10 percent of its overall size by 2010," he said.
The OECD report similarly encouraged Turkey to intensify its efforts in the management of its air, water and natural assets and the development of environmental infrastructure.
The report said Turkey was experienced increasing environmental pressure from the energy, industry, agriculture, transport and tourism industries, resulting in environmental challenges concerning air quality, water services and resources, waste management, soil erosion, nature protection and marine issues.
Pollution needed to be reduced, the transportation system should be shifted from land to other modes of transport, including railways, pollution from agricultural should be reduced, forestation efforts should continue and the inventory of endangered species should be completed, the report said.