Statements by Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, carry significant meaning for young researchers. The minister announced that a scholarship program will be launched for young researchers working on climate change in collaboration with TÜBİTAK’s Clean Energy, Climate Change and Sustainability Research Institute, and he emphasized that “for a greener Konya, a cleaner Turkey and a more beautiful world, we will work together.”
Kurum underscored that noticeable changes are occurring in water, soil and air, and that cities are increasingly facing severe disasters such as heat waves, droughts and floods. He noted annual declines in insect and vertebrate species worldwide. Highlighting the critical importance of water, the minister said Turkey is taking measures to protect its water resources and increasing the reuse of wastewater.
Turkey’s First Zero-Waste Industrial Zone to Be Established in Konya
Minister Kurum described the climate crisis as an issue that affects not only the environment but also development, and he stressed the significance of the zero-waste industrial zone to be established in Konya. He warned that the climate crisis will impact agriculture and food production and emphasized the need for investments that prevent industry-originated pollution. Kurum added that the Konya project will be expanded to other regions of Turkey, and he noted that Turkey ranks fifth in Europe in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
The minister pointed out that efforts will continue with distinct targets for 2030 and 2050 to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis. He added that the initial steps for the TÜBİTAK Clean Energy, Climate Change and Sustainability Research Institute were taken at Turkey’s first-ever Climate Council. He also provided information on the types of work the institute will undertake.
Kurum stated that the Konya institute will be a forum to discuss necessary measures for climate change and its mitigation, to develop solutions, and to consult on how to use water more efficiently within Konya’s agricultural policy. He reiterated that, together with the institute, a scholarship program will be opened for researchers working in the field of climate change, with the goal of first achieving a cleaner Konya and then a cleaner Turkey.