Ankara is the capital city of Türkiye, with a population of 5.782.285 million people [1]. The city has an area of 26,897 km2, located on latitude 39°57’N and longitude 32°53’E. The average altitude is 890 meters above sea level. A typical continental climate is observed in Ankara, with dry bulb temperatures ranging between -7 and 35°C throughout the year, according to the TMY file of Ankara [2].

The city has undergone significant changes since the proclamation of the republic in 1923. Once a modest Anatolian city, it has transformed into a growing metropolis and economic hub for the newly established nation. The city’s urbanization accelerated during the mid-20th century, driven by industrialization, population growth, and rural-to-urban migration. An early master plan, designed by H. Jansen in 1927, envisioned a small city with a population of 300.000 [3]. However, the unprojected accelerated growth caused a rather organic growth, especially in the used-to-be outskirts of the city. Today, Ankara is a major political, economic, and cultural center of Türkiye with its differing urban morphology, highlighting its dynamic socio-economic landscape.

Ankara has a “Climate Change Action Plan” prepared by the municipality [4]. The document analyzes the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on notions of population, gross domestic product, economy, and energy. Illustrating the potential regulations for lowering emissions, the document critically evaluates the built environment and transportation. Some regulations concerning the built environment are retrofitting the existing municipal buildings, auditing the new constructions via green building standards, eliminating coal usage for heating, providing financial incentives for increasing energy performance in existing buildings, and disseminating studies on energy efficiency.

Local Context

Çankaya is a region in Ankara that has almost 1 million inhabitants [1]. Çankaya Municipality established a recent directorate named “Climate Change and Zero Waste Directory” [5]. The directorate defines its main aim as “…preventing the deterioration, degradation, and destruction of environmental values and ecological balance, eliminating existing deteriorations, improving and developing the environment, and carrying out studies to prevent environmental pollution.”

National Context

The growing concerns about climate change have led Türkiye to take governmental action, as it is considered one of the countries unfavorably affected by climate change; thus, it is listed among high-risk countries [6]. In Türkiye, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization was renamed the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change on October 29, 2021, to further address the issue of climate change at the governmental level. A ground example is the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2016. Following the terms of the agreement, Türkiye aims to decrease its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 21% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2053 [7]. At the national level, the Directorate of Climate Change has recently unveiled a strategic plan covering 2024 to 2028, alongside initiatives at the municipal level. Some cities (İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Bursa) are formulating action plans and strategies for both mitigating and adapting to climate change, which are being implemented through constitutional measures and actions at the municipality scale [8]. Another significant document recently published is the “Climate Change Reduction Strategies and Action Plan” published by the Directorate of Climate Change [9]. The document provides a detailed illustration of the current status of the nation regarding the effects of climate change, followed by further structured strategies for adaptation and mitigation of it. Inclusive of various fields such as energy, agriculture, industry, and many more, the document brings about strategies that engage citizens, NGOs, local governments, and commercial structures collaboratively. In The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), an independent monitoring tool for tracking climate change protection performance of countries, published for the year 2024 [10], Türkiye, despite having fallen nine places since 2023, has demonstrated its determination in climate change actions by increasing the pledged greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction from 21% to 41% with the new plan [11].

The EU and Türkiye jointly finance numerous projects to fight against the negative effects of climate change, with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change in Türkiye serving as the beneficiary institution. The ministry offers financial and technical assistance to local organizations, engaging a wide array of stakeholders, including municipalities, universities, and non-governmental organizations [12]. Moreover, 20 municipalities in Türkiye, 5 of which are metropolitan municipalities, are members of Local Governments for Sustainability-ICLEI. Additionally, the “Covenant of Mayors”, a letter of agreement that came into force in 2008, was signed by 66 municipalities in total, including metropolitan, county, and district municipalities. These 66 local governments aim to achieve the goals of reducing/limiting greenhouse gas emissions, preparing for the negative impacts of climate change, allocating resources for sustainable energy, and developing policies in line with these goals that will foster implementation and monitoring.

References

[1]  Turkiye Istatistik Kurumu (TUIK). TUIK. (2024). https://www.tuik.gov.tr/

[2]  Ankara Climate Data 2004 – 2018 TMY. (2023). Retrieved September 15, 2023, from https://climate.onebuilding.org/WMO_Region_6_Europe/TUR_Turkey/index.html

[3]  Yavuz, F., (1981). Ankara, the Capital and Jansen. O.D.T.U. Mimarlik Fakultesi Dergisi, Cilt 7, Sayı 1, 25–33.

[4]  Ankara Municipality. (2022). Ankara Iklim Degisikligi Yerel Eylem Plani.

[5]  Iklim Degisikligi ve Sifir Atik Mudurlugu. Cankaya Belediyesi. https://www.cankaya.bel.tr/pages/106/Cevre-Koruma-ve-Kontrol-Mudurlugu/

[6]  Yildirim, M., and Gurkan, H. (2016). Türkiye icin iklim degisikligi projeksiyonlari. Uluslararasi Katilimli 2. Vol. 2. Sanliurfa: Iklim Degisimi ve Tarim Etkilesimi Calistayi.

[7]  Kat, B., Paltsev, S., and Yuan, M. (2018). Turkish energy sector development and the Paris Agreement goals: a CGE model assessment. Energy Policy 122, 84–96. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2018.07.030

[8]  Tugac, C. (2021). Kentsel surdurulebilirlik, direnclilik ve iklim degisikligiyle mucadele baglamında yerel yonetimler uzerine bir degerlendirme. Çagdaş Yerel Yonetimler, 30(2), 21-69.

[9]  Directorate of Climate Change. (2024). Iklim Degisikligi Azaltim Stratejisi ve Eylem Plani. (Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change).

[10]  Bosse, J. (2023, December 8). Turkey – Climate performance ranking 2024 | Climate Change Performance Index. Climate Change Performance Index | The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) Is a Scoring System Designed to Enhance Transparency in International Climate Politics.

[11]  Directorate of Climate Change. (2024). 2024 – 2028 Stratejik Plan (Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change).

[12]  Guler, Y., & Kumar, P. (2022). Climate change policy and performance of Turkiye in the EU harmonization process. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 4, 1070154.