Turquía: Enhancing the Capacity of Turkey to Adapt to Climate Change

 

Turkey is highly vulnerable to climate change. As part of the southern belt of Mediterranean Europe, the country is already facing increased temperature and decreased precipitation trends. 

This is having a major negative effect on water availability for food production and rural development, further exacerbating the social and regional disparities in a country characterized by a wide -- and widening -- gap between the eastern and southeastern provinces and the rest of the country.

The Joint Programme's goal was to develop national capacity for managing climate change risks for rural and coastal development in Turkey by: 

  1. Mainstreaming climate change in the national development framework;
  2. Building capacity in national and regional institutions;
  3. Promoting pilot community-based adaptation projects specifically in the Seyhan River Basin; and
  4. Integrating climate change adaptation into all UN agencies in Turkey.

Main achievements included:

  • The draft Climate Change National Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan was developed and endorsed by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and approved by the Climate Change Coordination Board.
  • A Capacity Development Programme was developed, and a significant number of trainings completed in areas such as Climate Data Analysis, Carbon Management and Early Warning and Monitoring Systems. The capacity was increased of government officials, civil society and universities to make efficient use of current policies and develop new ones in the context of climate change.
  • A certificate program was established by the Middle East Technical University’s Continuing Education Centre and Earth Systems Science Department to improve the knowledge of government and other institutional staff on climate change and environmental issues.
  • Measures for the integration of climate change adaptation into national legislation were developed and disseminated to relevant authorities. Participatory Vulnerability Analysis workshops were organized in 11 provinces and the methodology was disseminated.
  • A National Cleaner Production and Eco-Efficiency Centre was established to promote efficient water use, help formulate strategic policies, and provide training and financial support, among other functions. Six companies in the Seyhan River Basin began achieving water savings.
  • Technical capacity for data management, analysis and interpretation was developed, helping to improve the quality of drought and flood early warning systems across Turkey. The capacity of end-users to respond to early warnings was improved.
  • Approximately USD 1.9 million were distributed among 18 community-based climate change adaptation projects in the Seyhan River Basin; 230 man/day of monitoring field visits were carried out; 55,000 people, or 2.5% of the population of the River Basin, benefited or were contacted; the impact of climate change on animal husbandry was presented using an econometric model for the first time; demonstrations of modern irrigation systems were set up on 2,218 hectares of land; the drought and salinity resistance of tomato, beans, melon, watermelon, okra and 249 local species of these products were analyzed, and the gene pools of resistant types were taken under protection; and future impacts on water resources, forests, ecosystem services and animal husbandry in the basin were identified through projections.
  • A screening mechanism on climate change with a gender approach was agreed upon and established among UNCT agencies.

 

Click for more detailed results from the Joint Programmes in Turkey.

 

 

Datos clave

Duración del programa 12 de junio 2008 - 29 de febrero 2012
Financiación $7,000,000
Agencias de la ONU participantes PNUMA, PNUD, FAO, ONUDI
Socios nacionales Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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