Issue: 131
The work on “Competitiveness Agenda for the GAP Region” realized in 2007 by the Southeast Anatolia Project Regional Development Administration with technical assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The Competitiveness Agenda identified strategies and sectors that would boost the region’s competitiveness and make it a brand to achieve the vision of “Cradle of Sustainable Civilizations” for GAP Region. The projects on renewable energy, organic agriculture, qualified textiles and tourism as proposed in the Competitiveness Agenda were implemented in the GAP Action Plans (2008-2012 and 2014-2018).
The experience of Competitiveness Agenda work at “geographic” scale in the GAP Region sparked the idea of creating a toolkit that would inform and guide the scaling of Level II Regions; replicability, scalability and institutionalization of the methodology and approach of the Competitiveness Agenda; implementation of competitiveness agendas by development agencies that could be integrated into regional development plans.
Starting from this, “Toolkit for Designing Regional Competitiveness Agenda” is prepared by the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV) in the context of Competitiveness Agenda for GAP Region Project, implemented by Southeast Anatolia Project Regional Development Administration (GAP RDA) with the technical assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the financial support of European Union.
This toolkit introduces various tools that can be employed to identify regional competitiveness and areas open to development in respect of competition, and discusses the potential contribution of such tools in setting the competitiveness agenda. This toolkit also provides a good opportunity to countries to implement regional policies at national level and promote local development.
The toolkit introduces nine analytical tools which are based on data analyses at varying levels and recommended for use in competitiveness analyses of regions and provinces:
1- Investment Climate Assessment
2- Exports Performance and Production Structure Analysis
3- Value Chain Analysis
4- Skill Set Analysis effective agendas
5- Connectivity Analysis
6- Analysis of External Economic Environment
7- Analysis of Regional Innovation Ecosystem
8- Analysis of Local Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
9- Quality of Life Analysis
The toolkit developed for each area addresses how to conduct analyses of various purposes such as measurement, performance analysis, benchmarking, causation etc., and how they can be interpreted for regional competitiveness agenda.
For Toolkit for Designing Regional Competitiveness Agenda (pdf) click here.
PRESS RELEASE
Transition to a low-carbon economy and industrial production plan of the GAP Region will be defined through a project implemented by GAP Administration and supported by British Embassy
The project is designed to define the potential for transition to a low-carbon and environmentally-friendly production and receives financial support from British Prosperity Fund
The shift to a low-carbon economy is an essential response to the challenge of climate change and energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly industrial production is vital to realizing this transition. Turkey’s National Climate Change Action Plan and the National Climate Change Strategy prescribes the enhancement of the industrial energy management and improvement of energy efficiency. The overall monthly power consumption of the organized industrial zones only in the Gaziantep province of the GAP Region is above 300 million kWh. In addition, the natural gas consumption for industrial heating purposes is 30 million cubic meters per month. Hence, a project has been developed to identify the opportunities for an environmentally-friendly production with low carbon emissions, within the scope of the “Utilization of Renewable Energy Resources and Increasing Energy Efficiency in Southeast Anatolia Region” project, which is being implemented by GAP Regional Development Administration in co-operation with United Nations Development Programme.
The project includes audits to identify the opportunities in energy conservation and low carbon foot print in production facilities from different industrial sectors. Until now, energy conservation opportunities have been identified in 10 industrial facilities. The audit reports will provide the basis on which the transition to a low-carbon economy plan will be constructed. The objective is providing contributions to the sustainable development and the competitive advantage of the GAP Region through the reduction of the carbon emissions of the industrial plants.
A workshop was carried out on Energy Efficiency Financing and Success Stories within the scope of Energy Efficiency in SMEs Project conducted by Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. Various representatives from financial institutions, energy service providers, governmental agencies and private companies were attended to the workshop.
A presentation was carried out in the workshop on Improving Energy Efficiency in Industry Project, which is implemented by General Directorate of Renewable Energy in cooperation with UNIDO and UNDP with the financial support of GEF. Also, information on Energy Management Systems Expert Level Trainings and Energy Management Units established within OIZs, which are the two important and major activities of the project were also presented. Energy savings statistics occurred due to Energy Management Systems Expert Level Trainings were also summarized during the presentation.
In the context of Improving Energy Efficiency in Industry Project last module of the third group’s Energy Management System Expert Level Trainings were carried out in 26-27-28 September. Improving Energy Efficiency in Industry Project is executed by the General Directorate of Renewable Energy of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources together with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) with the support of Global Environment Fund (GEF).
15 representatives and 16 local consultants from 10 industrial firms were attended to the trainings conducted in İzmir. On the second day of the trainings participants visited PETKİM, which is the petrochemical giant of Turkey, in order to be informed and monitor the success and performance of ISO 50001 application. The participants had the chance to observe the implications of theoretical training which they have obtained from previous modules. After the finalization of İzmir expert level trainings, all modules of the trainings were completed.
After the last modules are completed the factories who are participating to Ankara and İstanbul group trainings provided a final report to both project team and international consultants in order to emphasize all benefits they have obtained through Energy Management System. İzmir group is also expected to prepare the final reports. Through the finals reports the energy savings as well energy saving amounts that are planning to be obtained can be acquired.
Because of the successful saving results and positive feedbacks from the factories, second round of Energy Management System Expert Level Trainings is decided to be launched. Beginning from September 2016 applications were gathered and evaluation process was started. From October onwards, new trainings are planned to be initiated.
For the purpose of sharing her knowledge on Argande brand as an example of sustainable fashion initiative, Hatice Gökçe, Design Coordinator of Argande, participated in the Social Good Summit 2016 for the session on “Sustainable Fashion: Is it an oxymoron?”. The session was moderated by Assoc.Prof. Şölen Kipöz, who is well-known with her studies on ethical fashion.
Argande brand was emerged as a result of “Innovations for Women’s Empowerment in Southeast Anatolia Project – Phase II” (IWEP-2) with the aim of contributing to the social and economic empowerment of women. IWEP-2 Project has been implemented since May 2008 under the partneship of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and GAP Regional Development Administration and financial support of Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). The products of the Project has been gathered under the brand Argande. Argande aims the involvement of women in the labour market as well as the brandization of the Southeast Anatolia, creation of new sales and marketing opportunities.
Presenting Argande in her speech as “the first initiative that sees social good as the primary goal”, Şölen Kipöz pointed out Argande’s leading position in this time, where social sustainability increasingly becomes an inevitable goal for fashion industry as well.
Holding the floor after Kipöz’s speech, Hatice Gökçe stated that although Argande’s primary goal is to increase participation of local women into the labour force, the intention has also been to create a brand image that involves products created by this country’s designers and labour of the women in the region, rather than aiming to agitate consumers’ humane sentiment to drive them to “do charity work”.
Underlining the other aim to be achieved through Argande, Hatice Gökçe said: “Secondary goal has been to include the cultural values of the region as a component of the brand. With this project, we gave life to some of the regional and cultural fabrics, of which the production were limited in one or two ateliers, such as ‘Şelşepik’ and ‘Kutnu’ fabrics, the two indigenous fabrics in Gaziantep and Şırnak. Furthermore, we made our catalog shootings in the region for this purpose: in Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa and Mardin.”
Highlighting that Argande does not share an ordinary fashion brand’s common objectives such as increasing profit margin by producing and selling more, Hatice Gökçe stated that reaching 1000 women in the region through IWEP Project and Argande brand is much more important for themselves. Stating that the backbone of the Project is volunteers’ efforts, Gökçe remarked that 16 collections in 8 years were prepared with the support of 30 designers, which are amongst the most significant designers of the country.
Furthermore, it was emphasized in her speech that in total 65 models supported Argande collections’ exhibition in Istanbul Fashion Week. It was also expressed that around 300 volunteers, who are experts in their fields, have come together under the Argande brand throughout these years and their uninterrupted support has been continuing for 8 years.
My name is Gizem Tülüoğlu, 26 years old. 6 months ago, I have started to work in UNDP Turkey as National UN Volunteer (Project Assistant) with desire of contributing to development, peace and growth by expressing my recently gained knowledge and work experiences on project activity implementation. UNV was a perfect place for me where I can feel the importance to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), growth and development. Moreover, during my involvement in this project, I met architectures, engineers, local and international experts and we discussed how to make this project well - implemented with sustainable results. I can clearly state that throughout these intensive working days I have investigated, learned and worked a lot for contributing to these goals! While my experiences with my friends, colleagues and I kept searching on how to provide different contributions to this project as a UN Volunteer . Searching how to provide different contributions as a volunteer. Yes, therefore, involving in ‘‘Promoting Energy Efficiency in Buildings in Turkey’’ project an being a UNVit is such a perfect experience for me.
Sustainable development, energy consumption, U value, Integrating Building Design Approach were technical terms that I had become more familiar with this project. I was so excited to work on development subject and project activities with experts in the ministries and international companies. Upon my experiences, I can clearly state that this project is highly significant for Turkish building sector, architectures, engineers and for sure for whole Turkish society as it increases awareness and knowledge on decreasing high energy and CO2 consumption and it targets to adopt best practices all around the world by reflecting all these into its project activities in an interactive work. During the implementation of activities, energy simulation, heating systems, building information modeling (BIM), structure, water usage, indoor environmental issues, materials, solid waste, ventilation, lighting and acoustics concepts are taken into consideration together with the best practices of Integrated Building Design Approach around the world. While gaining these experiences, I have worked on one of the most important project outputs; demo school campus building construction in Ankara developed with IBDA approach. To see construction phases of Etimesgut-Eryaman Cezeri Green Technology Technical and Industrial Vocational School demo building with Nearly Zero energy consumption and construction plan was a great experience in my career. Whole these process provided me to meet new people while contributing to sustainable development goals and an interactive work environment.
It is obvious that being a UN volunteer provided contributions both to my personal and professional life: involved in group works, increased presentation and organization skills, involved in national and international interactive developmental works. I am happy to feel more confident and contribute to peace and development and I would like to involve in future UNV assignments. I believe that being a volunteer starts with desire to be so!
Gizem Tülüoğlu
UN Volunteer
Team Leader (Deadline - 4-November-2016)
Project Associate (Deadline - 7-November-2016)
Communications Clerk (Deadline - 8-November-2016)
Operations Associate (Deadline - 10-November-2016)