September 2015

Ankara, September 2015

Forests provide goods and services such as water, food and shelter that are necessary for sustainable development while also supporting the conservation of nature and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.

Turkey’s forests make up 28 percent of Turkey’s surface area. In Turkey East Mediterranean coastline, Aegean, Marmara and West Black Sea Regions are among the regions that are vulnerable to forest fires.

60 percent of forests in Turkey are located in the regions that are vulnerable to fires and Calabrian pine forests, black pine forests and maquis are the most vulnerable areas.

In Turkey all afforestation works are being done by General Directorate of Forestry in order to re-establish the burnt forests and to make the forests more resilient to fires.

95 percent of forest fires are caused by humans.

In order to draw attention to forest fires in Turkey, short infographic videos are produced in the context of Integrated Forest Management Project which is implemented by General Directorate of Forestry in collaboration with UNDP and with the financial support of GEF.

Twenty two projects were found successful to be supported by GAP Organic Value Chain Pilot Projects Financial Support Program which is designed by Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP) Regional Development Administration implemented with the partnership of UNDP and which is first of its kind in Turkey as it covers solely organic agriculture.

Ankara, September 2015

A training on ‘GAP Organic Agriculture Clustering and Qualified Project Implementation” for successful projects has been organized in 18-19 August.

Representatives of 22 projects which are granted support under the GAP Organic Value Chain Pilot Projects Financial Support Program participated to the training.

The Financial Support Program is started to be implemented in 2015 with the coordination of GAP Regional Development Administration, in cooperation with İpekyolu Development Agency and Karacadağ Development Agency.

During the first day, organic agriculture in Turkey, developments about the topic, related regulations, grants and policies and local economic development and clustering were discussed. In addition, projects supported by the Financial Support Program were briefly presented.

On the second day, İpekyolu and Karacadağ Development Agencies will talk about important points to consider for project management and implementation. The training will end after a discussion on future plans, new project ideas and networking activities.

GAP Organic Value Chain Pilot Projects Financial Support Program is first of its kind in Turkey as it covers solely organic agriculture.

The financial support program is designed by GAP Regional Development Administration together with three development agencies in the region within the framework of GAP Organic Agriculture Cluster project implemented with the partnership of UNDP. The program addresses all circles in the value chain of organic agriculture sector in Southeast Anatolia.

The Financial Support Program is going to be implemented with two development agencies and the budget for two years will be 9 million TL, 4.5 million TL for 2015 and 2016.

Firstly, the financial support program selected 10 successful projects with İpekyolu Development Agency and agreements were signed. The agreement phase continues with 12 projects selected with Karacadağ Development Agency.

Successful projects selected with İpekyolu Development Agency

Successful projects selected with Karacadağ Development Agency

Pre-selection process has been completed for the third round of Future is in Tourism, implemented with the partnership of Ministry of Culture and Tourism, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Anadolu Efes to support the local development with sustainable tourism models. Twelve projects passed the pre-selection.

Ankara, September 2015

Future is in Tourism, implemented with the partnership of Ministry of Culture and Tourism, UNDP and Anadolu Efes, gives fund, communication and mentorship support to 3 projects every year.

Owners of the projects which have passed the pre-selection will talk about their projects during a workshop organized on 13-14 August. There will be field visits to the projects identified and at the end, three projects complying with the criteria of Future is in Tourism will be supported.

Six projects have been supported until now

On the first year of the project, ‘%100 Misia’ project’, ‘Creating Women- Led Sustainable Tourism Initiatives in Mardin’ project and ‘Traditional Kitchen of Seferihisar’ project were supported. In the second period, ‘Stonemasonry at Göbeklitepe, the Oldest Temple of the World’, ‘Malatya’s Legacy, Arslantepe’ and ‘A Souvenir from Safranbolu’ were selected to support.

Future is in Tourism was deemed worthy of bronz medal in the categories of “Europe’s Best Social Responsibility Project” and “The Best Public Relations Project in Community Relations” at The Stevie Awards, 11th International Business Awards in 2014. In addition to these, Future is in Tourism became the single project to represent Turkey in the Skills for Jobs Impact Map led by CSR Europe. This year, Future is in Tourism Project won the “Jury Special Award” in the 14th Golden Compass Public Relations Awards organized by the Public Relations Association of Turkey (TUHİD).

The 193 Member States of the United Nations reached agreement on August on the outcome document that will constitute the new sustainable development agenda that will be adopted this September by world leaders at the Sustainable Development Summit in New York.

Ankara, September 2015

Concluding a negotiating process that has spanned more than two years and has featured the unprecedented participation of civil society, countries agreed to an ambitious agenda that features 17 new sustainable development goals that aim to end poverty, promote prosperity and people’s well-being while protecting the environment by 2030.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the agreement, saying it “encompasses a universal, transformative and integrated agenda that heralds an historic turning point for our world.”

 “This is the People’s Agenda, a plan of action for ending poverty in all its dimensions, irreversibly, everywhere, and leaving no one behind. It seeks to ensure peace and prosperity, and forge partnerships with people and planet at the core. The integrated, interlinked and indivisible 17 Sustainable Development Goals are the people’s goals and demonstrate the scale, universality and ambition of this new Agenda.”

Mr. Ban said the September Summit, where the new agenda will be adopted, “will chart a new era of Sustainable Development in which poverty will be eradicated, prosperity shared and the core drivers of climate change tackled.”

He added that the UN System stands ready to support the implementation of the new agenda, which builds on the successful outcome of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa, and which, he said, will also contribute to achieve a meaningful agreement in the COP21 in Paris in December.

UNDP Administrator Helen Clark said "This agreement marks an important milestone in putting our world on an inclusive and sustainable course.  If we all work together, we have a chance of meeting citizens’ aspirations for peace, prosperity, and wellbeing, and to preserve our planet."

More than 150 world leaders are expected to attend the Sustainable Development Summit at the UN headquarters in New York between 25 to 27 September to formally adopt the outcome document of the new sustainable agenda.

The new sustainable development agenda builds on the success of the Millennium Development Goals, which helped more than 700 million people escape poverty.  The eight Millennium Development Goals, adopted in 2000, aimed at an array of issues that included slashing poverty, hunger, disease, gender inequality, and access to water and sanitation by 2015.

The new sustainable development goals, and the broader sustainability agenda, go much further, addressing the root causes of poverty and the universal need for development that works for all people.

The preamble of the 29-page text, “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” states, “We are resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want and to heal and secure our planet.” It continues, “We  are  determined  to  take  the  bold  and transformative  steps  which  are  urgently  needed  to  shift  the  world  onto  a  sustainable  and  resilient  path.  As we embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind.”

Rio+20 and the intergovernmental process

At the Rio+20 Conference of 2012, Member States agreed to launch a process to develop a set of sustainable development goals, which will build upon the Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium Development Goals have proven that goal-setting can lift millions out of poverty, improve well-being and provide vast new opportunities for better lives. It was agreed that the new goals would be global in nature and universally applicable to all countries while taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities.

The negotiations were co-facilitated by the UN Permanent Representative of Ireland, Ambassador David Donohue, and the UN Permanent Representative of Kenya, Ambassador Macharia Kamau, over two years.  The inclusive and transparent consultations by Member States, with the strong engagement of civil society and other stakeholders, have served as a basis for the conclusion of the intergovernmental negotiations on the emerging universal and people-centred agenda.

Core elements of the agreed outcome document

The outcome document highlights poverty eradication as the overarching goal of the new development agenda and has at its core the integration of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.  The emerging development agenda is unique in that it calls for action by all countries, poor, rich and middle-income.  Member States pledge that as they embark on this collective journey, no one will be left behind. The ‘five Ps’—people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership—capture the broad scope of the agenda.

The 17 sustainable goals and 169 targets aim at tackling key systemic barriers to sustainable development such as inequality, unsustainable consumption and production patterns, inadequate infrastructure and lack of decent jobs. The environmental dimension of sustainable development is covered in the goals on oceans and marine resources and on ecosystems and biodiversity, bringing core issues into the goal and target framework.

The means of implementation outlined in the outcome document match its ambitious goals and focus on finance, technology and capacity development.  In addition to a stand-alone goal on the means of implementation for the new agenda, specific means are tailored to each of the sustainable development goals.

Member States stressed that the desired transformations will require a departure from “business as usual” and that intensified international cooperation on many fronts will be required. The agenda calls for a revitalized, global partnership for sustainable development, including for multi-stakeholder partnerships. The agenda also calls for increased capacity-building and better data and statistics to measure sustainable development.

An effective follow-up and review architecture – a core element of the outcome document - will be critical to support the implementation of the new agenda. The High Level Political Forum on sustainable development, set up after the Rio+20 Conference, will serve as the apex forum for follow up and review and will thus play a central role.  The General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and specialized agencies will also be engaged in reviewing progress in specific areas.

Based on the outcome document, the agenda will include a Technology Facilitation Mechanism to support the new goals, based on multi-stakeholder collaboration between Member States, civil society, business, the scientific community, and the UN system of agencies. The Mechanism, which was agreed at the Addis Conference in July, will have an inter-agency task team, a forum on science, technology and innovation, and an on-line platform for collaboration.

The successful outcome of the Addis Conference gave important positive momentum to the last stretch of negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda.  It is expected that the consensus reached on the outcome document will provide momentum for the negotiations on a new binding climate change treaty to culminate at the Climate Change Conference in Paris from 30 November to 11 December 2015.

The draft agreement can be found at https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015

UNDP has launched on 27 August a global storytellingcontest, Voices2Paris, to contribute to raising public awareness on the negative impacts of climate change as well as on the opportunities and solutions seen in actions by individuals and governments alike across vulnerable developing countries worldwide. 

Ankara, September 2015

“We want to provide young journalists in developing countries a unique opportunity to contribute to the global debate on climate change in the run-up to COP21, while building their capacity and providing recognition for excellence” noted Neil Buhne, UNDP Geneva Director.

UNDP targets journalists 35 years of age and under from developing countries who are already engaged in public writing and want to contribute ­– locally and internationally – towards greater public awareness on climate change.

The best stories will be published every day in the immediate run-up to COP21, carrying messages of struggle, opportunity and hope from the climate change frontlines worldwide. The authors of the top two prize-winning stories will be invited to attend and cover the COP21 UN climate summit in Paris this December.

Stories can be submitted by young journalists from developing countries in English, and in Arabic, Chinese, French and Spanish with an English translation, on a rolling basis until October 11^th, 2015. Guidelines to participate are available on UNDP Geneva website.

A team of senior journalists reporting on climate change from top-tier international media outlets, regional media associations, and representatives from major international organizations, will review the entries and mentor the participants.

“The contest is an excellent initiative to promote investigative and innovative coverage from the young generation of journalists. It is also an opportunity for African journalists to reconfigure state-society relations and contribute to the development of the continent” added Sidi El Moctar Cheiguer, President of the African Network of Environmental Journalists.

Stories, once screened and scored will be published on UNDP’s website and disseminated through partners’ channels to ensure maximum outreach and support the call for an ambitious agenda to be endorsed during the COP21.

APO (The African Press Organization) and Oxfam Hong Kong are special partners of the contest.

Participating organizations: African Network of Environmental Journalists, Care International, China Dialogue, Global Call for Climate Action, International Center for Journalists, Global Village of Beijing, Innovative Green Development Program, InterNews, Pacific Islands News Association, RNTC, RTCC/Climate Home, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and University of the South Pacific.

We also thank the global network of climate vulnerable countries active in the Climate Vulnerable Forum currently chaired by Philippines for its support.

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Bel – UNDP Communication Specialist

media4climate@undp.org

+41 22 917 8544

Social media:

Hashtag #Voices2Paris

For frequent updates follow also Twitter @UNDPGeneva and @TheCVF

The 19th World Forestry Congress, which is the largest gathering on forests and forestry, will be held from 7 to 11 September 2015 in the City of Durban.

Ankara, September 2015

Photo: Eray Çağlayan

The World Forestry Congress (WFC) is held at six-year intervals by a host country and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).  

The 19th World Forestry Congress will be held in Durban, South Africa from 7 to 11 September 2015, following the XIII WFC held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2009.

The congress serves as a platform where governments, academics, civil society, the private sector and people who have an interest in forestry come together to discuss and share information and knowledge on forests and forestry, and find ways of addressing key issues for sustainable development.

The theme for the WFC2015 is ‘’Forests and People: Investing in a Sustainable Future’’.

This XIV Congress will be crucial as the world will be entering a new development era with the adoption of the post-2015 sustainable development goals. The Congress will be the first global forestry event after this, and it can therefore play a pivotal role in helping to define a sustainable roadmap.

A delegation of Turkey composed of officials from General Directorate of Forestry will be participating to World Forestry Congress. Moreover, project team of Integrated Forest Management Project which is implemented by General Directorate of Forestry in cooperation with UNDP with the financial support of GEF will be attending to the World Forestry Congress. 

A bold and ambitious global climate agreement in Paris could launch a new era of sustainable development. 

Ankara, September 2015

Photo: Giovanni Diffidenti/UNDP Guatemala

Between 30 November – 11 December 2015, the international community will convene in Paris Climate Change Conference (COP21) to agree to a new global climate change deal. An ambitious outcome in Paris will accelerate opportunities for climate change action in developing countries and be an important pillar in the post-2015 era of sustainable development. The Paris Agreement has the potential to galvanize countries and communities to act – simultaneously working to reduce carbon emissions while adapting to the long-term impacts of climate change.

We must act now

For many of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable, climate change is already a threat to their daily lives and livelihoods. In arid regions, prolonged droughts force women and children to seek out water far from home; in Small Island States, rising waters threaten the coastlines and livelihoods of exposed communities.

We must act now to safeguard development for the poor and the vulnerable, and put countries on a road to a safer climate and a sustainable future.

UNDP, a partner for success in Paris

With a portfolio of climate change projects in over 140 countries totaling US$1.4 billion in grant funding, UNDP is well positioned to support partner countries in the lead up to Paris and beyond.

In the lead-up to Paris, we are supporting countries to develop and finalize their respective targets and individual contributions and actions that will form part of the Paris agreement. We also help developing countries to participate and engage in the negotiation process.

To implement action on the ground, we partner with countries to deliver support through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Adaptation Fund, as well as other partners. We are currently approved to be accredited to the Green Climate Fund, the new fund to support climate change action at country level.

Challenges and opportunities

Through its large portfolio, UNDP is able to leverage its extensive global network of climate expertise to support countries in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, investing in clean energy solutions, and adapting to the impacts of climate change.

Effective climate action will not only protect and maintain our ecosystems but can also spur economic growth, enhance the ability of countries and communities to cope with the impacts of climate change and encourage more sustainable development pathways. 

• Junior Expert for Project Support Services (Deadline - 1-September-2015)
• Project Associate (Deadline - 1-September-2015)
• Human Resources Associate (Deadline - 2-September-2015)
• Technical Assistant (Deadline - 4-September-2015)

To see all vacancies, click here.

Editor: Faik Uyanık
Assistant: Nazife Ece
Contributors to this issue: Deniz Tapan, Gökmen Argun