Issue: 69
Volunteerism indeed is an extremely potent mechanism to harness the enormous potential and resources which people are willing to offer selflessly to pursue peace and development.
Trust, solidarity and reciprocity among citizens constitute the core values of volunteerism.
UNDP, together with UNV Bonn, is endeavoring to promote volunteerism in Turkey which, as Vakiflar system, has been a strong traditional fabric of the Turkish society.
Presently, the UN System in Turkey has 37 “UN Volunteers,” out of whom 32 are Turks, while the remaining come from different parts of the world.
Our planned activities include: integrating volunteerism as a component of all programmes; establishing a national volunteering platform/council; publishing a UNV newsletter; and developing Volunteer Programmes, like: mutual aid or self help, service to others, participation in civic engagement, campaigning or advocacy.
With only five years remaining to achieving the MDG targets and the enormity of deficit in many developing countries, it is absolutely imperative to mount a concerted, inclusive and collective effort to rid the humanity from the scourges of hunger, poverty, disease, alienation and disempowerment.
Volunteerism, no doubt, can play a critical role in this collective effort.
*Shahid Najam, UNDP Resident Representative in Turkey and UN Resident Coordinator in Turkey
The festival is organized under the scope of Tourism Development in Eastern Anatolia Region Project (TDEAP) in partnership with Nature Research Society (former Bird Research Society-KAD) and The Bird Paradise of the Anatolian Peak Project.
The most important flyway for bird migration on Eastern Black Sea Mountains is Coruh Valley.
The incredible view of thousands of raptors flying over the valley everyday during fall migration is like a matchless invitation to the bird watchers.
You can have a chance to get trainings and experience this incredible migration of raptors in the company of prefessional guides during festival.
How to participate
TDEAP, jointly executed by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ministry of Culture and Tourism and EFES Company since April 2007, aims to contribute to the living standard of local people by improving tourism activities in the Coruh Valley.
For festival program and online application form please click here.
Click here to view photos of previous year's festival.
For further help you may contact coruhfestival@dogaarastirmalari.org
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Both miraculous groups aim at opening an egalitarian window for disadvantaged parts of the society.
Venezuela Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra which, present a chance to hundreds of young people changing their lives through a project targets poor youth in South America by protecting them from crime and streets, took the stage in İstanbul for the first time.
As an inspiring example of this issue in Turkey, Social Inclusion Band within Dreams Academy meets disabled and socially disadvantaged youth with music by removing the barriers and enabling them to actively participate to the society.
As reproductive individuals, students who rise in the project have a chance to maintain their music work with professional musicians. In international level, the group demonstrates global and obstacle-aware power of art by participating festivals such as Akbank, IKSV Jazz, Efes One Love and Rock’n Coke.
About Dreams Academy
Dreams Academy is a project, which was implemented by Alternative Life Association (AYDER), UNDP and State Planning Organization by the financial support of Vodafone Foundation Turkey, that aims to support the participation of the socially disadvantaged and the disables into society and taking up a profession.
Workshop locations have been chosen according to the suitable accessibility standards of the disabled. Locations Beşiktaş Municipality has allocated to the project are Disabled Friendly.
DA is a leading and a model project providing equal participation opportunity with the " Art for all " approach.
Dreams Academy contains Vocal-Rythm-Dance- Film-Photograpghy-DJ-Instrument-Painting-Design Workshops.
Being the top performers of their branch and having high sensitivity, workshop educators and corporate partners are the most powerful milestones in Dreams Academy Project in the means of reaching project targets, program quality and sustainability.
The Project has won 2009 Golden Compass Award, 2011 “This is Social Innovation” award, and listed as the best practice in UNDP Human Development Report.
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The book has been prepared within the framework of “Strengthening the system of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas of Turkey" Project.
The book presents 329 different species photographed during dives in Eastern Mediterranean from Keldağ (Hatay) area of Turkey-Syria border to Saros Gulf of Agean Sea and in Black Sea from Trabzon to Zonguldak.
The book provides an easily readable text written by Dr. Bulent Gözcelioğlu, accompanied by impressive photographs of the species and their habitat taken by Tahsin Ceylan.
In addition, the work offers observations about the species and information about the diving locations as author's note.
"Denizlerimizin Sakinleri” is a great resource for everyone interested in the subject.
With recognition of living creatures in the seas of Turkey the book contributes to conservation of marine biodiversity and conversation activities carried out in Marine and Coastal Protected Areas.
Click here to review introductory part of the book.
To receive the book by paying the shipment cost only: ockkb@ozelcevre.gov.tr
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“Innovations for Women’s Empowerment in the GAP Region Project” gathers its products under the Argande brand in a joint project launched May 2008 by the GAP Regional Development Administration and the UNDP with financing from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) to empower women socially and economically.
The project supports women’s participation in labour markets, re-branding of Southeast Anatolia, and creation of innovative sales and marketing opportunities.
Argande is the goddess of the Kingdom of Commagene, who in the ancient times ruled the territory of Mesopotamia.
Her name has been resuscitated today by the South eastern women of Turkey.
Under coordination of Hatice Gökçe with leading fashion designers such as Berna Canok, Gamze Saraçoğlu, Gül Ağış, Mehtap Elaidi, Özgür Masur, Rana Canok and Rojin Aslı Polat created the clothes and assessories for the brand.
Volunteer supporters
With the spirit of social responsibility, several other renowned professionals offered to provide support their support to the brand.
Bilge Tuğsuz Kayakıran (styling, choreography and artistic work), Sema Şimşek (the face of the brand), Gencer Bavbek (photography), MAC (make-up), City’s MOS (hairstyling), Staras Ertan Çelikler (music), Ruveyde Okumus (accessories), MUDO (sales channel), Markafoni (sales channel), Demir Tasarım (printed and visual materials), A4 Ofset ( publication & logistics ) and İTKİB ( training) are volunteered their support and acted actively on every stage of the Project.
Sales revenues fully transferred to the women producers of the Argande brand in Southeast Anatolia.
The 2012 Spring - Summer Collection of Argande met fashion fans at 5.30 p.m. during Istanbul Fashion Week (IFW) on September 7, Wednesday.
Through the visibility of the local cultural heritage, the project helps create a more positive perception of the region that is based on local cultural wealth, diversity and the productivity of women, serving for a re-branding of the Region.
For more information click here or contact us:
Gönül Sulargil JALAL, Project Manager, gonul.sulargil@undp.org
Senem Elcin KORKUT, Project Assistant, elcin.korkut@undp.org
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The book was produced by the UN Joint Programme “Alliances for Culture Tourism in Eastern Anatolia”, in cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism - General Directorate of Research and Training.
The collection of folk tales especially focuses on the Minstrelsy tradition, providing a valuable contribution for the promotion and safeguarding of this element of intangible heritage that in 2009 was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The work is based on a research carried out by Mr. Timur Yılmaz, on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
It is composed of an introductory chapter on folk tales, followed by 40 stories each one accompanied by a short introduction by their storyteller.
Original sound recording
The attached audio CD offers a selection of the 40 folk tales.
Some of the stories are collected and published for the first time (including tales entitled: Çoban Süleyman ile Perişan Sultan, Rıza Bey, Akıllı Mehmet ile Gülfidan Hanım, Gülizar Sultan ile Çoban Süleyman, Hüseyin Bey ile Şahin Bey, Çileli Âşık ile Nazlı Sultan, Yusuf ile Gülistan, Hasret ile Ferhat, Abdullah ile Gülizar, Sümmani Ağa ile Gülgez Hanım, Dallıhan ile Nazani Sultan, Yusuf ile Elif, Timur Han ile Maya Sultan, Mete Han, Bayram ile Güldane) while other popular stories are here published in a new edition based on specific researches.
All tales also contain explanatory notes and interventions by the storytellers, in order to facilitate and enrich their reading.
The book has been produced within the scope of UN Joint Programme “Alliances for Culture Tourism in Eastern Anatolia”, financed by the government of Spain and aimed at safeguarding cultural heritage and promoting cultural tourism in the province of Kars.
Unless the incredibly inefficient nature of today's buildings is changed, an unprecedented increase in energy use may occur.
In Turkey, in terms of final energy consumption, the building sector represents the second-largest energy consumer accounting for thirty-six percent of the total final energy consumption in 2008 and the building sector’s emissions are thirty-two percent of the total national energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.
However, the building sector in Turkey presents significant opportunities for cost-effective energy and carbon dioxide savings, estimated at some thirty-fifty percent of the current levels.
Promoting Energy Efficiency in Buildings in Turkey Project is initiated together by UNDP, General Directorate of Electrical Power Resources Survey and Development Administration (EIE) with the financial support of Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The kick-off meeting of the project was held on 7th of July 2011 in Ankara with the participation of 130 people from several ministries, energy service companies, Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects and TUBITAK.
Objectives of the project
Through the Promoting Energy Efficiency in Buildings Project, it is aimed to reduce energy consumption and associated GHG emissions in public buildings in Turkey by raising building energy performance standards, improving enforcement of building codes, enhancing building energy management and introducing the use of an integrated building design approach.
This is envisioned to be achieved by revising and enforcing building energy performance standards; introducing integrated building design approach in Turkey; promoting best energy practices in the building sector and monitoring, learning, adaptive feedback and evaluation.
Three demo buildings will be designed in order to introduce and adapt the integrated building design approach in Turkey. First two demo buildings will be designed as a school project for Ministry of National Education.
The third demo building will be designed as a “Technology and Information Center” for the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. By monitoring the demo buildings energy consumption levels it is aimed to calculate the decrease in the associated GHG emissions.
The climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation effords in Turkey and around the world were addressed at the workshop held in Ankara on June 29, 2011.
The meeting began with opening speeches of Mustafa Sahin, Deputy Director of Environmental Management General Directorate, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and of the UNDP representative. Following the Second National Communication Project’s presentation, the studies and activities carried out under the UN Joint Programme on Enhancing the Capacity of Adaptation to Climate Change (MDGF-1680) framework were presented by UN Joint Program Manager, Atila Uras.
The presentation on UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol requirements was held by the representative of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
The studies and activities carried out on the climate change impacts and adaptation on the areas of water resources, agriculture and food security, natural disasters, coastal areas, ecosystem services, urbanization and tourism were discussed in detail by the experts in the field.
The possible effects of climate change in Turkey
The effects of climate change on natural resources, as well as socio-economic impacts were also discussed through some examples from Turkey and the world.
The possible effects of the sea level rise due to the climate change, in coastal areas, agricultural areas, settlements, water resources and wetlands were described in the meeting and the importance of integrated watershed management was emphasized.
Increase in temperature and decrease in rainfall will affect water resources and the measures to be taken on this issue and discussed. In addition, it is also discussed that this kind of situation that may cause a pressure on the diversity of aquatic ecosystems, loss of species.
The natural disasters subject, of which the effects are already felt with climate change, was also one of the topics covered in the meeting.
A total of 195 representatives from the public and the private sector, NGOs, universities and municipalities participated in the meeting.
The Enabling Activities for the Preparation of Turkey’s Second National Communication which will be submitted to the UNFCCC is financially supported by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), executed by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and implemented by the UNDP.
To view the workshop presentaions please click here.
Trainings have been organized by the project partner WWF Turkey in Cide (Kastamonu), and Ulukaya Visitor Center (Bartın).
45 NGO members, who work for protecting their natural environments, to reduce the impacts of threats posed on the area, participated in the trainings.
Definition of communication, methods for effective communication, communication tools, advocacy tools, problem analysis, and preparation of advocacy strategy topics were shared by experts in the trainings organized in early August.
Additionally, topics like preparing press release and official letters, and how to organize meetings were discussed.
On advocacy issue, WWF Turkey and GEF SGP experiences on awareness raising, lobbying and campaigning were shared with the participants.
Trainers also assessed NGOs’ current advocacy works in relation to their needs and threats for the site.
“20 volunteers participated in the camp, organized with the support of Bartin Provincial Directorate of Environment and Forestry.
“Küre Mountains National Park’s Volunteer” workshops aimed to increase ownership of young people in protection of national park.
As a result of these workshops, Turkey’s first “National Park Volunteer Program” was established.
Volunteers have started to implement actions in “National Park Volunteer Program” duties.
“Little Küre Trans” trekking tour has done with volunteers within “Küre Mountains National Park’s Volunteers” camp activity on 23 – 24 July 2011.
Importance and natural values of Küre Mountains National Park were interpreted during this trekking tour.
Oral History Work
In volunteer camp, volunteers visited Ulukaya Canyon and Ulukaya Waterfall visit, and shared information on importance of Küre Mountains National Park with the visitors participated in VII. International Drahna Local Keşkek Festival organized by Drahna Çevre Kalkınma, Eğitim, Kültür ve Dayanışma Derneği.
Volunteers also evaluated their past work and planned actions for the next period.
Volunteers have run “Oral History” work around Küre Mountains National Park under “Küre Mountains National Park’s Volunteers” program. During this work, volunteers have talked with elderly people on their experiences about problem solving in natural disasters, their life styles, relations with nature and forest, differences between past and now, old traditions, and food culture.
In this episode of the New Horizons Programme, our topic is the national communication of Turkey against climate change which has turned into a global reality.
UNDP Turkey: Hello, this is the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. In this episode of the New Horizons Programme, our topic is the national communication of Turkey against climate change which has turned into a global reality. The second national communication has currently been prepared and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry works with the UNDP. What does Turkey aim to do regarding this issue? How will the process continue? We will discuss these with our contributors. Ms. Fulya Somunkıranoğlu, welcome. You are Head of Climate Change Office of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Dr. Öznur Oğuz Kuntasal, welcome.
Öznur Oğuz Kuntasal (Ö.O.K.): Thank you.
UNDP Turkey: And you are manager of the aforementioned project. If you would like, let us start with asking Ms. Somunkıranoğlu. What is National Communication and what is the process? When did the climate change issue first start to be discussed in the world?
Fulya Somunkıranoğlu (F.S.): The climate change issue first started to be discussed in 1992. When countries started to feel the negative impacts of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, they brought a convention into the agenda in 1992 and they decided to find a solution. And they separated countries into various categories. These are; countries which were going to have targets to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, countries to finance the process and poor countries without any responsibilities. In 1992, during the convention, Turkey was included in both countries with a target of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and countries to finance the process.
UNDP Turkey: Actually, a long standing problem started.
F.S.: Absolutely. From 1992 until 2004, Turkey tried to solve the problem, but had judicial struggles. This process ended up with a result of inclusion of Turkey only to the group of countries that had to decrease greenhouse gas emissions; but not in countries to finance the process. Actually the fight against climate change, in real terms…
UNDP Turkey: Creating awareness…
F.S.: ...and creation of awareness started after this period. May 24th 2004. Afterwards…
UNDP Turkey: The date is so close.
F.S.: You are right. Actually Turkey was an inactive player. In 2004, it became an active player. After this date, you can spot that Turkey’s activeness and the level of awareness in either activities done within Turkey or projects carried out by the Ministry has increased. Meanwhile, it was not only about awareness raising in the public sector; but also in the public arena. If you watch commercials, you might come across some climate change or greenhouse gas issues somewhere in it. Now on TV or in radio programmes such as this, we discuss “how can we decrease greenhouse gases?” or “How can we fight climate change?”, and this raises the awareness of the public…
UNDP Turkey: The rise in awareness has turned into a certain, highlightable fact. I would like to ask Ms. Kuntasal briefly. In the introduction part, we mentioned national communication – but what is it exactly, whom is it prepared for? Could you please tell a little bit about it for the ones who don’t know?
Ö.O.K.: Let me mention it briefly; Ms. Somunkıranoğlu has already spoken about it. Countries who are party of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are obliged to report to the secretariat of the UN how much they obey the rules of the convention. They report these in certain periods of time to the secretariat in Bonn. Turkey is obliged to report its actions since it is a party of the Convention. Thus, the national communication summarizes what has been done in several headings.
UNDP Turkey: This means the communication sheds light on what has been done; not what will be done.
Ö.O.K.: That’s right. It both puts forth what has been done so far and enables us to have a road map by detecting what is missing. Thus it is an important process showing the existing and missing activities. Turkey presented its First National Communication to the secretariat in 2007. In 2006 preparations were started and completed. Right now, preparations for the second communication has been continuing.
UNDP Turkey: In which years does Turkey have to report? Is there a certain period or frequency?
Ö.O.K.: UNFCC, the secretariat of the UN sometimes determines it. It is approximately three to four years; these reports are submitted in the dates they determine.
UNDP Turkey: When is the next submission for Turkey?
Ö.O.K.: The next submission date – as I have just said – will be announced by the Secretariat.
UNDP Turkey: Yet preparations have still been continuing.
Ö.O.K.: It can be three to four years. Currently the submission date is the end of this year.
UNDP Turkey: Until the end of 2011… I would like to ask you again, Ms. Somunkıranoğlu. You are the head of Climate Change Office of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Why is such cooperation important with UNDP regarding such an important topic, and in the process of preparation of a communication summarizing what Turkey has done, could you tell us about your partnership with the UNDP?
F.S.: We cooperate with the UNDP not only on the Second National Communication Project; but on many other projects. I believe we are an easy going and hard working team. We worked with the UNDP on the development of the adaption capacity of Turkey to climate change and preparation of the Climate Change Action Plan, and now we work together on the preparation process of the Second National Communication. The reason why we chose UNDP for the Second National Communication is that we accomplished a project which was financed by Global Environment Fund with UNDP. There is an accumulated capacity. We wanted to include this capacity in the process. So we chose the UNDP to work with us for the Second National Communication.
UNDP Turkey: Could you give some hints about the second communication, regarding featured developments? What kind of developments are there that we can highlight?
F.S.: As Ms. Kuntasal has just mentioned; the Climate Change Second National Communication is prepared under nine headings. The phase in between the first and the second communications is to analyse what kind of actions need to be done in Turkey– let me remind you that the first communication was in 2007 – and will give us projections regarding what kind of activities public institutions did in sectors of Turkey. Meaning, what is the target for greenhouse gas emissions in Turkey and what can be done? Actually the first is a road map.
UNDP Turkey: We discuss a communication which intersects with all segments of the community and all sectors of the economy.
F.S.: Right. A participatory process is planned for. UNDP is the irrevocable UN agency for successfully carrying out participatory processes.
UNDP Turkey: When did you start initiating the project and at which phase are we? What are the outcomes?
Ö.O.K: The project started in October. We had the first workshop in November. There was a variety of participants; private sector, NGOs, universities.
UNDP Turkey: It started at the end of 2010.
Ö.O.K.: We started the project at the end of 2010. Thus the process has been continuing. We will have intensive workshops about participatory processes in the following months. We have a workshop at the end of this month. We try to include everybody as much as possible. Because topic titles are very wide; policies, stocks of greenhouse gases, affectability-effects of emissions, adaptation, research, systematic analysis, education in Turkey regarding climate change, what the level of awareness raising in public is, what has been done… There are many topics such as financial resources and technology for decreasing emissions and adaptation. Thus we work for each topic separately with related experts. And we organize workshops about participatory processes for each topic. After the report has been prepared, the workshops will be included in this process, the national communication will finally be prepared and completed with contributions of all shareholders and related groups.
UNDP Turkey: Let us highlight again, when will the preparation completed?
Ö.O.K.: As we have discussed before, it will be prepared and submitted by the end of this year.
UNDP Turkey: It will be prepared by the end of 2011 and everybody will be able to analyze what Turkey has done so far. There will be a communication created in leadership of the Ministry of Environment and the UNDP through workshops you mentioned by inclusion of several shareholders. Thank you very much for joining us. Ms. Fulya Somunkıranoğlu, Head of Climate Change Office of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Dr. Öznur Oğuz Kuntasal, Manager of UNDP Turkey Climate Change Second National Communication Project were our contributors. We have come to the end of the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. This podcast has been recorded at the studio of Radyo İlef of University of Ankara. You can follow our podcasts on Açık Radyo (Open Radio) on FM frequency or on the internet, on university radios in our broadcasting network, on iTunes as podcast format, on undp.org.tr, as well as on YouTube in video format. Our username on social media is undpturkiye. Good bye!
In this part, our topic is UN’s work in the field of enhancement of capacity of Turkey to adapt to climate change.
UNDP Turkey: Hello, this is the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. UNDP, which works for a more productive, healthier, more educated and greener future, has stories to tell you. In every part of the podcasts, we share selected stories of these activities of UNDP. In this part, our topic is UN’s work in the field of enhancement of capacity of Turkey to adapt to climate change. You may not have heard of UN Joint Programme, entitled Enhancing the Capacity of Turkey to Adapt to Climate Change. This joint programme is aimed at integrating climate change adaptation capacity to Turkey’s policies, agendas and targets. Well, with regards to this, what has been done? Where does the money come from? We will discuss these with Mr. Atila Uras, Joint Programme Manager. Welcome!
Atila Uras (A.U.): Thank you!
UNDP Turkey: If you like, we shall discuss the joint project, entitled Enhancing the Capacity of Turkey to Adapt to Climate Change and we know that this is financed by Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund. Let us start with talking about this dimension and the background of this project.
A.U.: Yes, actually, this is beyond being a project; is a joint programme. Here, we can say that this is a globally implemented programme, which tests the UN to see if it is moving as a unitary organization. In our programme, there are 4 UN agencies working on the same path.
UNDP Turkey: Which UN Agencies?
A.U.: First and foremost UNDP, as well as UNEP, UNIDO and FAO all work together.
UNDP Turkey: Country offices of these agencies meet and contribute to the programme. Meanwhile, you have different partners while running this programme, don’t you?
A.U.: Of course; because UN always works with public agencies. They work to actualize commitments to meet international agreements and a country’s needs, and to extend assistance in that direction. Thus, we should include not only the UN; but also ministries to this executive partners’ group. Especially the Ministry of Environment and Forestry is the focal point of climate change issues in Turkey; yet it is not possible to complete the frame without the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Certainly, beyond the entire group, the State Planning Organization is one of the important partners of our programme.
UNDP Turkey: You have been carrying out this programme with government agencies, NGOs, universities and other partners. We will touch upon this; but for now you can tell us if there is climate change in Turkey, as we have mentioned in the name of the programme; Enhancing the Capacity of Turkey to Adapt to Climate Change. Can we proceed talking about this?
A.U.: Yes, we face the question of “is there actually climate change?”. We can describe climate change as follows; the climate always changes, it has always changed and will always change; but now, there is a human factor. That is, humans have accelerated recent climate cycles. When analyzed globally, we live in a fragile, small shell and while human beings consume it, the climate change issue is added as an extra difficulty. In this process, starting with use of fossil fuels by human beings since the industrial revolution, sunlight, which turns the Earth into a habitable place, cannot leave of the atmosphere. When it remains inside the atmosphere, the Earth becomes warmer just like a humid and warm greenhouse. This is why there is climate change. We all know this; drought in 2007-2008, floods in unexpected areas, extreme warmth, excessive rainfall and a decrease in the amount of snow are indicators of changes.
UNDP Turkey: These are outcomes of the situation. It is not only factors in Turkey that affect climate change here. What changes happened recently and which factors triggered climate change in Turkey?
A.U.: We are a developing country and there are prices of development. It is obvious that development efforts bring various environmental problems; but regarding climate change, problems caused by development are not the only cause of environmental problems. This is a process affecting social life, socio-economic life, economies and efforts for development. Turkey, certainly, has a role in it; because we need to improve our industry and agriculture, and produce energy for development. All of these have contributing effects to greenhouse gases; that means, we have a share in it too. When we evaluate the response, the IPSS, which is an international agency publishing technical reports, indicates that Mediterranean Region has a high ranking among the seriously affected regions. This means that a large part of Turkey remains in the mostly-affected regions. The Mediterranean Basin, and so Turkey, is among the seriously affected countries.
UNDP Turkey: Carbon dioxide emissions are assumed to be the primary reason of climate change. Are there any other reasons triggering it?
A.U.: Certainly there are other greenhouse gases. There are emissions of other gases which do not have the same effect as carbon dioxide. There are also serious emmissons from industrial activities, and also there are natural cycles. The axis of the Earth, proximity to the Sun, concessions in the orbit; but when they all happen together…
UNDP Turkey: Can increase in carbon dioxide emissions in Turkey trigger climate change in another country? Or how can climate change in a different place affect Turkey? Is it possible to see this happening?
A.U.: The wind, the tide, nature is not limited to borders. Things happen beyond borders. There are various ongoing cycles even if human beings did not exist. Climates change, ice ages may begin, masses may disappear; but there is a human factor now. What we do, in a sense, bad behaviors - for example; incorrect use of fossil fuels in the past in today’s developed countries – create global problems. Even though we stop carbon emissions, effects of climate change will continue for tens of years. That is why we talk about adaptation in addition to reduction.
UNDP Turkey: It highlights the necessity of global action and a global partnership rather than territorial partnership. Let us talk about things done in Turkey. I think one side of climate change adaptation is reduction and prevention of climate change. What has been done in Turkey, in this regard?
A.U.: Both reduction and adaptation go parallel to each other; you need to support international efforts with local works. Turkey has been shouldering a very active role in climate change negotiations for the past 2 years. Especially after it adhered to the Kyoto Protocol in 2009, this process accelerated and now it is very active in international processes. On the other hand, whatever we do now, we will still have to live with the effects of climate change for tens of years to come, as I have just mentioned.
UNDP Turkey: Even if carbon dioxide emissions now stop…
A.U.: Of course, even if it stops, we need to do something locally. We need to revise our development plans with regards to climate change. In order to do this, various actions from local ones to national ones are necessary.
UNDP Turkey: In this sense, what kind of common efforts did the UNJP have with the Turkish Government so far? And what are your other recently carried out projects?
A.U.: There are many adaptation projects, carried out within the joint programme. We can group these into 3 different categories. One is works at political level, meaning development of climate change adaptation strategy of Turkey with government agencies. We will have had the draft prepared within 1 month.
UNDP Turkey: Will the draft be prepared in 2011?
A.U.: Of course. We will have achieved this strategy.
UNDP Turkey: What will Turkey gain from this strategy?
A.U.: This strategy will draw our road map. We must have different actions in different places according to that road map; it is not very easy to have a national action plan. Effects of climate change even in the same province or in the same basin differ greatly.
UNDP Turkey: Are we talking about a strategy which touches upon reasons and on the other side outcomes?
A.U.: Of course. The strategy will determine the guidelines, and then there can be dimensions of the strategy for river basins, agriculture basins or territories of provinces. We must actualize the action plan with related financial resources.
UNDP Turkey: You will carry out this type of policy examples or road maps in different places of Turkey. In which basins or districts are you currently active?
A.U.: We worked in Seyhan River Basin as a pilot region; and we have been continuing this work. It predominantly composes 95 percent of Kayseri, Niğde and Adana. We worked towards 18 success stories in the basin as an example of struggle with different effects, in cooperation with various public agencies, universities and NGOs, within the context of the grant programme. We also work in other places in Turkey. Our sample works are related to water efficiency in Ankara and Bursa. We supported initiatives within the scope of communications and accessible analyses, for example, and the establishment of an action plan on climate change in Van. These are a few examples, we have many projects carried out in several places.
UNDP Turkey: You contribute to policy making and carry out sample projects… I should emphasize that this programme is funded by Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund, how do you receive this funding?
A.U.: Yes, Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund was a fund, extended to the UNDP by the Spanish Government at a global level.
UNDP Turkey: Are all of the expenses funded by this?
A.U.: Yes, the whole of the programme is financed by this fund. Of course, there were some ocular contributions from either grant programmes or cooperation with public agencies; because only one source is not enough. This is an over-all struggle, and we want and expect all sources of countries to be included and to sustain these efforts with resources of these countries.
UNDP Turkey: Thank you very much for your participation. Details can be found on www.iklimmdgf-tr.org. Today, Mr. Atila Uras, Manager of Enhancing the Capacity of Turkey to Adapt to Climate Change Joint Programme of the United Nations was our guest speaker. We have come to the end of the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. This podcast has been recorded at the studios of Radio İLEF of University of Ankara. You can follow our podcast on Açık Radyo (Open Radio) on FM frequency or on the internet, as well as on YouTube in video format. Our username on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Flickr is UNDP Türkiye. Hope to see you next week, goodbye!
In this episode, we will all discuss before and after of divulgation of these mountain ranges as national park. Why is this process important to Turkey; what does it mean in the international arena; and why is the United Nations Development Programme involved in it?
UNDP Turkey: Hello, this is the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. UNDP, which works for a more productive, healthier, more educated and greener future, has stories to tell you. In every part of the podcast, we share selected stories of these works of UNDP. Our thread is Küre Mountains National Park. We will all discuss before and after of divulgation of these mountain ranges as national park. Why is this process important to Turkey; what does it mean in the international arena; and why is the United Nations Development Programme involved in it? General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, the Department for Monitoring and Assessment of National Parks Branch Manager and Head of Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System in Turkey, Mr. Mustafa Yılmaz and Mr. Yıldıray Lise, welcome. Mr. Lise is a qualified biologist and deputy manager in the same Management System. Mr. Lise, I would like to ask you my first question. When were Küre Mountains declared as a national park and why were the Küre Mountains chosen?
Yıldıray Lise (Y.L.): The Küre Mountains were announced as a national park as a result of a joint Project of FAO, UNDP and the Ministry of Forestry of that period in 1998, and then officially in 2000. One of the crucial reasons of its announcement as a national park is that it has natural values, with respect to its importance for both species it contains and the forest it nestles. It also has geological properties. There are many caves, canyons and waterfalls. In addition to these, there are cultural characteristics. While mentioning cultural characteristics, we should touch upon folklore, cuisine and architecture. In this framework, Küre Mountains were divulgated as a national park. However, one of the other crucial reasons was that there were international evaluations done all over Europe. 100 hot points in Europe were determined. 9 out of 100 are in Turkey. More specifically, 1 out of 9 is within the Küre Mountians National Park and these are the reasons of its divulgation as a national park.
UNDP Turkey: You represent the UNDP, UN side of the Project, and you represent the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Park, Mr. Yılmaz. I would like to ask you; Küre Mountains were inscribed as a national park; what are the contributions of this to the district and people; and what are your targets for the future?
Mustafa Yılmaz (M.Y.): We aimed for the divulgation of Küre Mountains as a national park, the protection of cultural values and natural resources in the framework of vision of national parks, and introducing usable resources at both local and national levels along with the aim of protection and creation of new income for people. If the locality contains values that have touristic value, then this will contribute to the increase in tourism. In this sense, Küre Mountains both increases our recognition in the international arena and raises the number of people visiting this place.
UNDP Turkey: Hot points were mentioned; what are they?
Y.L.: This was an evaluation done specifically in Europe. Forest protected areas and forests with high natural value, which needed to be urgently protected, were determined. 9 of them are in Turkey. Turkey, following Russia, is an important location regarding forest regions with many hot points. When analyzed, there are 9 hot points in many places from northeastern Turkey to Mediterranean. Protection of these places and implementation of sustainable policies were envisaged. Küre Mountains Range is one of the first protected areas in Turkey.
UNDP Turkey: We use hot point when referring to areas which need to be protected urgently. You have been involved in a process called PAN Park. Before touching upon this process, could you tell us a little bit of what PAN Park means and how Küre Mountains were included in this process?
M.Y.: PAN Park is a network which was created for both protection of natural values and use of these parks with the ideals of sustainable tourism by maintening the values of natural resources in many national parks in Europe. This is a network connecting protected areas and extending assistance in terms of managerial terms and prestige. Turkey was first nominated for this network with Küre Mountains National Park. This is a process starting with signing letters of intent. Within this process, of course there are criteria we need to accomplish and there is target of 2012. In 2012 we would like to accomplish the PAN Park Certificate. What will Küre Mountains gain with a PAN Park Certificate? First of all, we will gain prestige in the international arena to protect values of natural resources, we will also get international recognition and this enables us to easily reach a target audience, and this will support local people in the context of tourism due to the maintenance needs of such a network.
UNDP Turkey: You hope to accomplish this aim by 2012…
M.Y.: Yes, the process has already been going on. In 2010, we determined a road-map with related authorities. We will accomplish the process at national level in September or October in 2011; most probably we will accomplish the process with an international organization in May or September of 2012.
UNDP Turkey: It will be a protected area within P.A.N., PAN Parks, Protected Areas Network. Are there any other parks included in this network?
Y.L.: No, the first is Küre Mountains. Since 2006, the nomination process, we have specifically undertaken our activities for Küre Mountains in the framework of the Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System Project we have been carrying out with Ministry of Environment and Forestry, UNDP and World Wildlife Fund Turkey. The ultimate aim of our project is to enable the Küre Mountains National Park to become more recognized at international level with a PAN Park Certificate along with the criteria Mr. Yılmaz has already mentioned.
UNDP Turkey: There are 2 dimensions; the first is the environmental dimension – protection of that mountain range and areas which should be protected; and the other dimension is human. I think contribution to and development in the local economy are the highlighted aspects. The UNDP gets involved at this point. What was the reason of UNDP to get involved in the project?
Y.L.: Actually UNDP has been involved from the beginning of the formation of this project as I have just said. Divulgation of national parks is a project of FAO, UNDP and Ministry of Forestry of that period. Later on, there was a search for a project supported by GEF and it continued approximately 8-9 years; and finally we initiated the project in 2008. This means the executive is Ministry of Environment and Forestry; yet all procedures are done by UNDP. As you have said, maybe the most important factors of UNDP are that we have 80000 hectares of buffer zone surrounding the cornel area. UNDP has an active role in enabling rural activities and especially allowing women and other groups to get into these processes actively.
UNDP Turkey: We have been talking about one part of an extensive project during this programme. We shall analyze the larger scope of this project and clarify it, Mr. Yılmaz. What do you contribute to those areas by your visits in term of environment, people living in that district?
M.Y.: First of all, in order to use this area in an orderly way, there needs to be a plan specifically for that area. In this sense, a management plan, a management plan for visitors, a tourism strategy… If we cannot form the necessary infrastructure before we open up to the international markets, we face failure. We are now working to accomplish these. After accomplishment of these, local mutual cooperation will be initiated at a local level. Currently there are many people who operates guesthouses, who are interested in tourism and handcraft. However, if we do not have a sufficient system for marketing and supply chain, neither people nor natural resources are satisfied, because it will lead to unconscious use of resources. If you don’t have a specific aim, you start to damage resources after a certain period. Our aim is to prevent this and so we will have 4-5 different projects in the region. These are management of relations between values of natural resources and humans, relations between people and agriculture, and the management of wildlife such as the wild bear. We have projects to turn traditional cloths and the nature that they are inspired from into a trademark.
UNDP Turkey: Actually, the region is a region which is close to Istanbul and Ankara, thus it is in such a place that people can easily get to. What will a visitor find there; when they visit the national park, will they find a well-organized park?
Y.L.: Of course. After the start of our project, we founded visitor centers both on the Bartın side and the Kastamonu side of the park, and we have entrance points to the national park here as well. These are guide points for people visiting there. After completion of the management plan, an area guidance system will be implemented in the national parks in Turkey. Local people accompany visitors and tell them about the environment. In this framework, the first practices were conducted in 2002 in Küre Mountains. We had experience there and after approval and officialization of this plan, visitors will be able to hire hosts and have a detailed tour. Currently there is a well-organized structure both for accommodation and transportation.
UNDP Turkey: … and in the meantime, this place has started to attract interest of travel magazines, hasn’t it? It has been touched upon in many magazines and TV documentaries.
Guests: Yes, that's right.
UNDP Turkey: Can it be sustainable? After completion of this project, what do you think the system will be? Could you tell us a little bit more about this?
M.Y.: Sure. We, as the General Directorate of National Parks, aim to enable these projects to be sustainable. Because the biggest problem is that after completion of the project, envisaged targets and activities, according to local people, your accountability decreases. We, as the General Directorate, initiated a huge project for setting up a monitoring system in order to prevent this. We, as the General Directorate, determined the general methodology implemented in internationally protected areas. This year, we included 41 national parks in Turkey to be able to monitor their managerial activities in our business schedule. As a result of this, we clarify human resources in the national parks, what the conditions of monetary and financial sources are, and what contributions the project has to the region and to nature.
UNDP Turkey: So you are doing your best to make it sustainable. My last question, we have limited time. Which of the Millennium Development Goals do these accomplishments fit in to?
Y.L.: Specifically, it fits in to environmental dimension in the environmental sustainability. Yet, when we look closer, we should also address eradicating poverty; villagers living in the forests are in the poorest segment of Turkey. And we try to support them through sustainable resource practices and activities offering alternative income. Besides this, it is also important to look at water in the area. In the context of access to clean water, these accomplishments serve 3 other dimensions as well. I would like to mention one point for our audience and listeners, there is a web-site of Küre Mountains. They can read about every issue we have discussed related to the project and the area.
UNDP Turkey: You can see all the details on kdmp.gov.tr. I would like to thank you Mr. Mustafa Yılmaz, Forestry Engineer (M.A.), General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, the Department for Monitoring and Assessment of National Parks Branch Manager and Head of Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System in Turkey, and Mr. Yıldıray Lise, biologist and deputy manager in the same Management System. We have come to the end of the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. This podcast has been recorded at the studios of Radio İLEF of University of Ankara. You can follow our podcast on Açık Radyo (Open Radio) on FM frequency or on the internet, besides on YouTube in video format. Our username on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Flickr is UNDP Türkiye. Hope to see you next week, goodbye!