Reducing Our Carbon Footprint

A press conference on the theme “Reducing Our Carbon Footprint” took place in Bursa. Mr. Recep Altepe – President of Turkish Healthy Cities Association and Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality; by Prof. Dr. Cengiz Türe – Head of the Department of Ecology of Anadolu University and Member of Advisory Committee of Turkish Healthy Cities Association; Ms. Nalan Fidan – Head of the Environmental Protection and Development Department of Bursa Metropolitan and Project Coordinator of Turkish Healthy Cities Association; Ms. Yeşim Dedeoğlu – Unit Head of Waste Management of Environmental Protection and Control Office of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality; Engineer (Msc) Ms. Yıldız Cindoruk from the Environmental Protection and Control Office of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality; Mr. Muray Ar – Director of Turkish Healthy Cities Association and press members attended the conference.

Recep Altepe, president of Turkish Healthy Cities Association and Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, began his speech by defining carbon footprint. Mr. Altepe said “Carbon footprint is the measurement of the damage of human activities to the environment with respect to amount of greenhouse gas production, which is being calculated in carbon dioxide. More clearly put, carbon footprint is the measurement of the negative impact that we cause throughout producing and living. In the nature, the physical response to the carbon footprints generated by us comes into existence as global warming, climate change which are in the world’s agenda, and  socio-economic losses of million dollars, impairments in human health and the wreck of the natural life that have emerged from these. Today, by their ever increasing effects, global warming and climate change are no longer considered as disaster scenarios, they are proven by scientific findings. And their consequences have become an element of risk which would affect the whole world one way or the other. The increase realized in fossile fuel usage, the ever increasing reduction of forest lands which are the basic oxygen resources, extemity of the population growth and many more factors have caused increase of carbon footprint.”

Mayor Altepe carried on his speech saying “Undoubtedly, in order to reduce carbon footprint, primarily we have to find out how much we generate corbon emission as the cities we live in and as corporates. By the studies we conducted as Turkish Healthy Cities Association and Metropolitan Municipality of Bursa, we calculated our carbon footprint. When the datas of 2014 are taken as a reference, the total carbon footprint of Bursa province is over 12,5 million tonnes. By a percentage of 32, the greatest share in the inventory of emission belongs to the fuel and power consumption in industry. It is followed by the domicile consumption of fuel and power consumption (20% in total) and urban transportation (19%). The share of Bursa in Turkey’s total greenhouse gas emission is as 2,7%, and the corporate share of our municipality in Bursa is as 1,7%. We did not only calculate our corporate carbon footprint as the Metropolitan Municipality, but also under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Cengiz Türe, who is an esteemed member of our Advisory Committee, we designated our corporate carbon footprint by 2015 as Turkish Healthy Cities Association. This study aimed at designating the size of Carbon Footprint generated in relation to the activities of the executive office and only the organizations held by Turkish Healthy Cities Association in 2015. The results of it showed that; as a result of the managerial and organizational activities carried out by its executive office, the size of carbon footprint generated by Turkish Healthy Cities Association has been 41 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e). It is understood that the greatest share of this carbon footprint size is based on the national/international transportation activities via highway and airway by a total of 28,2 tonnes of CO2e; and it is followed by the activities related to accommodation equivalent to 5 tonnes CO2e arising on the organizations of the corporation and the power generated in its building.

These studies by which we aimed to set forth our present situation as the Metropolitan Municipality of Bursa were certificated at our Association’s conference titled “Renewable Energy for Healthy Cities” which was hosted by the Metropolitan Municipality of Mersin, last month. Within the scope of the conference of which Organization Committee was chaired by our esteemed prelector Prof. Dr. Cengiz Türe, as the Metropolitan Municipality of Bursa we received our certificate along with Metropolitan Municipality of İzmir, Metropolitan Municipality of Muğla, and the Municipalities of Bilecik, Kadıköy, Pendik, Nilüfer and Tepebaşı that have conducted inventories of urban carbon footprint or action plannings of sustainable urban energy for struggle against global warming and climate change. The certificate distribution aimed to promote the studies in the field of climate change and to announce them as exemplary. As Metropolitan Municipality of Bursa, we feel right pride of being deemed worthy of this certificate. We do our utmost effort in order to make Bursa a liveable city more and more, by gradually reducing the carbon footprint of Bursa. And we will continue to do that. Because in order to achieve this goal, the ability to set forth the values owned or the problems not only by speaking of them but by the globally approved methods which are measurable and comparable is of great importance. Especially in relation to the municipalities’ obtaining incentives to establish urban policies and Project to be conducted, the perspective and capability of using these data add brand value to the notion of municipalism in both national and international arenas.”

Following the speech of Mayor Altepe, Prof. Dr. Cengiz Türe – Head of the Department of Ecology of Anadolu University and Member of Advisory Committee of Turkish Healthy Cities Association took the floor and told that, according to the United Nations (UN) data; cities are culpable of approximately 75% of the world energy consumption, and 80% of the global greenhouse gas emission. Prof. Dr. Türe said, “It is obligatory to take measures in respect of providing consumption of sustainable energy in accordance with the determination and reduction of the present emissions of all of the cities and countries, in order to make the effects of global warming and climate change remain in allowable limits.” Prof. Dr. Türe stated “Carbon footprint is not a plot of science-fiction. It is a scientific fact. I am sorry to tell that, unless we take measures, we will have to pay the price.”

Following Prof. Dr. Türe, Ms. Nalan Fidan – Head of the Environmental Protection and Development Department of Bursa Metropolitan and Project Coordinator of Turkish Healthy Cities Association, conveyed the Action Planning of Metropolitan Municipality of Bursa on Climate Change that they have conducted as the Metropolitan Municipality of Bursa tot he press members. Ms. Fidan indicated that various measures to be taken, it would be possible to provide reduction of 20% per person and decrease the emissions to 3,70 tonnes of Co2e/person, based upon the values of 2014 (4,62 tonnes of Co2e/person).

Ms. Fidan continued stating “APMMB consists of some of the measures to be taken until 2030 concerning preferance of bicycle riding to be increased from 0,5% to 2,5%, vehicle fleet of the municipality to be changed into electric vehicles to serve as a model, providing Photovoltaic integration to the system of Street lighting, ensuring effective energy renewal with the present commercial and public buildings, increasing the usage of renewable energy resources, using effective energy systems in industry, reducing greenhouse gas emission.”

Ms. Fidan also stated that, as Metropolitan Municipality of Bursa, upon the town council decision dated 15.07.2016, they have signed “The Covenant of Mayors” that was drawn up by the “European Commission” with the objectives of forging public opinion at the international level on the sudies conducted in the field of climate change and contributing to sharing knowledge and experience with other municipalities that also make studies in this field. The Covenant of Mayors involves 220 millions of people, and around 6.805 municipalities and local administrations are a party to it.

Following the declarations, a short introductry film made by Turkish Healthy Cities, titled “Reducing Our Carbon Footprint” was shown.