Achieving Turkey’s INDC Target: Assessments of NCCAP and INDC Documents and Proposing Conceivable Policies

Abstract

In 2015, Turkey submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) before the Paris Conference of the Parties (COP 21), expressing its intention to decrease emissions level at a rate of 21% from business as usual. This emissions reduction target is important as it is the first one for Turkey. However, Turkey faces unemployment problems and needs to sustain its growth. In this study, an Environmentally Extended Social Accounting Matrix (SAM), based on 2012 Input-Output data, was created, emissions reduction potentials of the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) together with the INDC were calculated, and alternative policies to reduce emissions to the target level and to boost the economy were proposed separately. The study finds that both the preparation and implementation of the previous national documents are problematic, and that Turkey was not meticulous about implementation of the climate mitigation policies in the previous national documents. The study also finds that reaching the emissions target with the INDC policies seems impossible and more conceivable policies are needed, and recommends that the INDC target and document itself should be revised substantially.

Gender As The Missing Component In The Turkish Climate Change Policies And Academic Papers | İklim Değişikliği Politikalarının ve Akademik Makalelerin Toplumsal Cinsiyet Perspektifi Açısından Sorgulanması

“…However, as was described in the previous section of this paper, the academic literature including gender aspects of climate change is still very limited. As an example, the academic paper that examined the Turkish National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) to propose new policy directions does not include any gender aspects (Alkan et al 2018).…”

Üreti̇m Mi̇, Tüketi̇m Mi Beli̇rleyi̇ci̇? 1990-2015 Yillarinda Türkiye Co2 Emisyonlarinin Kaynaklari Ve Poli̇ti̇ka Etki̇leri̇

“…Constructing energy-efficient buildings in the buildings and urbanization sector; land consolidation, efficient fertilizer use, rehabilitation of grazing lands, and implementing modern agricultural activities in the agriculture sector; and promoting recycling, increasing number of managed landfill sites, and using waste as an alternative fuel in the waste sector were the remaining stereotyped, unmeasurable and unexamined solutions in the INDC. Furthermore, the 21%-mitigation target is shown to be implausible by Alkan et al (2018), Karapinar, Dudu, Geyik, and Yakut (2019), Acar et al (2016), and Kat, Paltsev and Yuan (2018).…”

“…The actions planned in the energy sector are fully utilizing the country's limited energy resources (utilizing all coal reserves and all hydroelectric potential), constructing nuclear power plants, increasing renewable energy supply, and increasing efficiency in electricity transmission and distribution. The actions in the energy sector in the INDC document were not only the most numerous but also the only measurable goals, such that Alkan, Oğuş-Binatlı, and Değer (2018) were able to generate only three shocks from the INDC, and all of them were from the energy sector. The goals in transportation sector can be summarized as promoting public transport, and use of alternative fuels and clean vehicles, and increasing shares of railway and waterway transport modes.…”

Energy Transition and Sustainable Road Transportation in Turkey: Multiple Policy Challenges for Inclusive Change

“…Although, there is great potential for renewable energy deployment there are a number of obstacles that impede their full utilization. Turkey does not have a consistent mitigation strategy and hesitates to ratify Paris Agreement (Alkan et al, 2018). Nevertheless, there are further inconsistencies apparent in Turkey's energy policies.…”