Issue: 57
With the newly established national carbon registry, projects developed and executed to reduce and contain greenhouse gas emissions and increase sinks can now be registered to avoid double counting as well as ensure market transparency and integrity.
Providing impetus to the Ministry’s efforts, the “Capacity Building for Climate Change Management in Turkey” project has played a significant role in this accomplishment. Expert support and capacity improvement as well as bringing stakeholders together to discuss how to position Turkey in the post-2012 regime of the Kyoto Protocol have been instrumental in the Ministry’s preparation of the Communiqué on Procedures for Registration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Projects which will regulate the national carbon registry.
Turkey has been hosting projects which generate certificates traded in voluntary carbon markets since 2005. While their exact number is unknown due to lack of a national registry system to date, there are over 100 projects in Turkey registered with the Gold Standard, VER and VCS standard organizations.
Following the first commitment period, it is crucial for Turkey to be ideally positioned in the post-2012 regime in order to benefit from the market-based flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol including emission trade. Emission trade, which has expanded rapidly and continues to be a key economic tool in responding to climate change. Carbon markets, which have helped Governments achieve their emission reduction commitments under the Protocol, grew exponentially in recent years. The emission reduction rights traded in these markets has reached 8.7 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent as of the end of 2009. Although Turkey cannot benefit from the related mechanisms of the Protocol, the number of projects that raise revenues from Voluntary Carbon Markets continues to grow exponentially.
Emission targets for industrialized country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol are expressed as levels of allowed emissions, or “assigned amounts”, over the 2008-2012 commitment period. Such assigned amounts are denominated in tonnes (of CO2 equivalent emissions) known informally as “Kyoto units”.
The ability of Parties to add to their holdings of Kyoto units (e.g. through credits for CDM or LULUCF activities) or move units from one country to another (e.g. through emissions trading or JI projects) requires registry systems that can track the location of Kyoto units at all times.
In addition to recording the holdings of Kyoto units, these registries “settle” emissions trades by delivering units from the accounts of sellers to those of buyers, thus forming the backbone infrastructure for the carbon market.
Each registry operates through a link established with the International Transaction Log (ITL) put in place and administered by the UNFCCC secretariat. The ITL verifies registry transactions, in real time, to ensure they are consistent with rules agreed under the Kyoto Protocol. The ITL requires registries to terminate transactions they propose that are found to infringe upon the Kyoto rules.
However, Turkey is not generating any Kyoto units yet and thus not obliged to establishment of any associated registry system, the established registry for the voluntary carbon projects will allow the country to experience the process adopted from the Protocol’s national approval process with respect to registry system.
The registry is expected to enhance effectiveness of carbon market projects through increased knowledge sharing and avoid or minimize double-sellings of certificates while promoting good practices of those projects.
Run jointly by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the State Planning Organization (SPO), Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen Association (TÜSİAD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) since 2009, the “Capacity Building for Climate Change Management in Turkey” project aims to facilitate the effective engagement of Turkey in the international climate change policy dialogue, enhance the capacity of Turkey’s national authorities to participate in this policy dialogue and develop necessary Voluntary Carbon Market structures.
In effect since 1999, the World Youth Congress (WYC) which brings together youth from across the world on issues concerning “youth and development” took place between 31 July and 13 August 2010 at Yıldız Technical University’s Davutpaşa Campus in Istanbul.
Various seminars, roundtable sessions and workshops were conducted in the scope of the World Youth Congress. Tülin Seçen, UNDP’s consultant for the UN Joint Programme moderated the “Youth Led Job Creation” roundtable seminar on the third day of the Congress. Andrew Fiddaman (Programme Administrator, Prince’s Youth Business International), Jeff Avina (Administrator, Entrepreneurship Programme, Microsoft), Markus Pilgrim (Administrator, UN Youth Employment Network), David Woollcombe (President, Peace Child International) were other adult participants at the roundtable meeting. Tariq Al-Olaimy from Bahrain, Ssegawa Meddy from Uganda, Juan Nascimbene from Argentina, Mayang Rizky from Indonesia and Enes Koçak from Turkey were the youth representatives.
At the meeting where critical points related to employment issues were addressed both from the perspective of youth and the perspective of adults. Experts underlined the importance of encouraging youth to become entrepreneurs and shared solutions on how the youth can contribute to the unemployment problem. Young participants described their concerns and proposed solutions on how to overcome unemployment. The most pressing issue for all participants was to create platforms where youth can participate in decision-making and policy-formation processes which will involve youth CSOs to play a more active role. Following the roundtable sessions, the participants gathered in groups to develop ideas and propose possible measures to increase the number of young entrepreneurs. Measures included developing grants programmes for young entrepreneurs, ensuring special tax deductions and the creation of enabling environments for idea sharing.
During another event, “Growth with Decent Work for All: A Youth Employment Programme in Antalya” UN Joint Programme representatives, along with representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) informed participants about youth oriented projects in Turkey and answered questions.
The congress also hosted an exhibition where UN agencies introduced various projects they run in Turkey. At the exhibition, participant questions on UN projects were answered and brochures, reports and posters were distributed. State Minister Faruk Nafiz Özak also visited the UN stand to find out more about UN projects.
According to Yurdaer, the 6 section protocol signed between the General Directorate of Forestry and General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks in June, will facilitate the prevention of forest fires in protected areas, increase silvicultural* interventions, help develop a forest management plan and fight forest crimes. Yurdaer also underlined the importance of cooperation between the project partners and drew attention to the effects of UNDP’s cohesive role.
Interview by Pınar Yarıkkaya, Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System in Turkey, Communications Expert.
You are also the Deputy Coordinator of “Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System in Turkey” project implemented in Kastamonu – Bartın Küre Mountains National Park. Can you tell us about the importance of the project?
At the General Directorate of Forestry, planning is the key to everything. Through planning, projects can be realized in a timely manner. Naturally with time, you will need to revise and develop your plans.
Our Ministry which has been preparing forest management and development plans every 10 years since 1963, works to ensure forest management. The General Directorate has left behind the prevalent forestry understanding of firewood production. We follow a strict protection strategy in the related areas.
Taking international agreements into account, I believe we can both contribute to and benefit from the Küre Mountains National Park project. In such areas, there are core zones surrounded by buffer zones. The buffer zone expands outward from the core area. In planning forest management units, we adopted a plan which moves from the outside in and aimed to protect the area’s natural and cultural assets collectively. I don’t think we have the luxury to separate the areas in terms of whether they belong to the National Parks or the General Directory of Forests. As institutions in Turkey, we have to work together. This is why we value the cooperation in managing Küre Mountains National Park from the buffer zone into the national park boundaries.
Can you explain the role of the General Directorate of Forestry in “Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System in Turkey” project which began in May 2008 and is scheduled to end in May 2011?
As I mentioned before, there are areas which are managed by General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks and others are managed by the General Directorate of Forestry. In fact, there are areas which are managed by several institutions. We cannot talk about successful forest management if these institutions do not work together. These areas are properties of Turkey. Therefore, as the General Directorate, we did not want to be the sole owner of these efforts. We wanted the National Parks to support them and we wanted our efforts to serve the purpose of the National Parks themselves.
At the national park buffer zone, there are 17 forest management units. Within a functioning framework, we tried to benefit the core area with these management units by developing ecological and socio-cultural plans. As a result of such efforts, the boundaries of Küre Mountains National Park and the buffer zone will become clearer.
We need to relieve the social pressure on the forest villagers in the area and meet their needs. Given the circumstances, I think that the General Directorate of Forestry will be the most successful institution in ensuring this. 50% of forest areas in Turkey are managed based on the understanding of “protection” while the remaining 50% is managed based on an economic understanding. As an institution, we implement plans which account for both of these approaches and bring together both economic and socio-cultural perspectives. Considering the natural assets in the area, we create natural living corridors within the habitats in forests.
This is the rationale behind our efforts in the Küre Mountains. Other institutions need to be clear on what they’re doing and integrate their plans into existing ones. I believe that the General Directorate of Forestry and General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks will further collaborate on forest protected areas management.
A protocol between the General Directorate of Forestry and the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks was signed in June 2010 to start forest management activities in national parks. What are your thoughts on the protocol and the fact that Küre Mountains National Park is the first national application of such an initiative?
The protocol was one of the works we placed importance on and wanted to be done for a long time. To this day, many protocols have been signed at different levels. This protocol has brought them all together and clarified what we plan to do next. The protocol is composed of 6 sections and encompasses important points on fighting forest fires in protected areas, conducting silvicultural interventions, developing a forest management plan and dealing with forest crimes. I see this as a success of the efforts towards the Küre Mountains National Park. This goes to show that if institutions which work in similar fields come together, good things can come about. Küre Mountains National Park has been chosen as the first area for which the protocol will be applied. Long term strategic plans need to be created and this is a slow process. As a prerequisite of international agreements we have signed we need to realize the scarcity of our natural assets and take urgent action to protect them. In doing so, we have to speak the same language. We need to know how forest cover in the national parks and we also need to know the carbon storage and sequestration rates.
There is also a need for silvicultural interventions. Although the core area should remain untouched, anthropogenic changes occur in areas where humans inhabit. Though this situation seems to fall outside the natural course, one must not forget the constructive nature of humans. As a result, I do not see these interventions as shortfalls. In plans we make inside the General Directorate of Forestry, we leave 5, 10 and even 30 hectares of land untouched in each forest management unit.
On the other hand, fires are a reality in Turkey. As a country, we will suffer the consequences of global warming. Therefore, we have to take measures to prevent fires and insects before we lose the natural assets we have. The protocol will also ensure that such measures are taken.
The United Nations Development Programme is one of the project partners. What do you think about your partnership with UNDP?
It’s important to work in the scope of the United Nations. UNDP is playing a uniting and cohesive role in the project. UNDP also influences decisions regarding where and how resources will be used. I think that international organizations are important in the adaptation of Turkey and in partnerships with civil society.
Are there any other messages you would like to share with regards to forest protected areas management efforts in Turkey?
As the General Directorate of Forestry, we follow international processes very closely. “Very closely” may be an over statement but we try to the best we can, given the circumstances.
Recently, we are carrying out activities in the scope of European Union projects on forest health. We measure exceeding levels of air pollution and the effects of such levels twice a year and take preventative measures accordingly. We work according to ecosystem based plans and also produce infrastructure plans. We are establishing a national forest information system for the General Directorate.
I see that all general directorates within the ministry operates well on its own dynamics. We are trying to integrate ourselves into all efforts undertaken in country. I believe that our institution is successful in doing so and has done a good job so far.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project Enhancing Forest Protected Areas System in Turkey is implemented by UNDP Turkey; and executed by Ministry of Environment and Forestry, General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, and General Directorate of Forestry under the partnership of General Directorate of Forest-Village Relations, General Directorate of Afforestation and Erosion Control, in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) Turkey. The project aims to create a model to enhance nature conservation and sustainable resource management in Küre Mountains National Park and its buffer zone, and disseminate this model to other 8 forest hotspots in Turkey.
Working together in the scope of the regional Growing Inclusive Markets Initiative (GIM), the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and UNDP will host Business Outreach Operations in Turkey. Operations include engaging the private-sector in the country to build awareness for inclusive market business models and approaches, and to broker concrete inclusive market investment projects in Turkey and the target countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Uzbekistan.
In order to promote the inclusive market initiative in Turkey, and the target project countries UNDP and the BCCI will conduct joint advocacy activities on the role of the private sector in development, facilitate linkages between BCCI members and entrepreneurs/SMEs/producers organizations in project countries, assist in successfully brokering investment projects; and organize events that promote the regional GIM project.
The Growing Inclusive Markets regional project will produce a report highlighting the regional context as well as case studies of successful inclusive business models constituting a source of inspiration for replication of inclusive business models in other countries/sectors. In addition, the project aims to employ inclusive investment brokers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Uzbekistan and a business outreach coordinator in Turkey to facilitate inclusive market business models.
The regional GIM initiative, was launched in Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in partnership with the Turkish International Cooperation & Development Agency (TIKA) to respond to specific regional challenges. A platform led by UNDP, the GIM’s main objective is to catalyze more inclusive markets in the region, through advocating for the development of inclusive business models and an appropriate enabling environment for human progress and development.
Inclusive markets include the poor on the demand side as clients and customers, and/or on the supply side as employees, producers and business owners. The benefits go beyond immediate profits and higher incomes. For businesses, they include driving innovations, building markets and strengthening supply chains. And for the poor they include higher productivity, sustainable earnings and greater empowerment.
After the ceremony, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative Shahid Najam visited the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vocational Training Centre (BUTGEM) The Centre is funded entirely by dedicated industrialists who are trying reduce the supply and demand gap between the government supported vocational education curriculum and the skills and qualifications desired by industrialists. UNDP expressed an interest to prepare a process mapping study about BUTGEM to share BCCI’s successful model with the GIM target countries and other cities in Turkey. Following the visit, Shahid Najam noted that “the guiding principle behind the success of this centre is a devoted team of activist industrialists mobilizing their own resources is to equip future generations with the necessary vocational skills to join the workforce and consequently making a contribution to competitiveness of Bursa”.
With over 30,000 members mainly SMEs in the automotive, construction and textile sectors, the BCCI is an active member of the Global Compact. Also a partner of the Global Compact Network Turkey within its sectoral (automotive) learning and outreach activities, the BCCI aims to strengthen business linkages and facilitate new partnerships in project countries. UNDP will be strengthening and expanding its existing partnership with the BCCI to promote the Growing Inclusive Markets Initiative in Turkey to endorse research and advocacy activities through the BUTGEM vocational training centre and project target countries.
[BAGLANTILAR]
Working at the Multifunctional Community Center in Batman for the past three years, mother of three Fatma, is one of the 145 southeastern women manufacturing apparel for Turkish fashion sector’s only social responsibility project, Argande. Though she lives far from the glamour of the fashion world, the designs Fatma manufactured for Argande’s 2011 Spring – Summer collection were displayed on the runway during İstanbul Fashion Week on 27 August 2010.
Introduced in July 2009 and created in the scope of “Innovations for Women’s Empowerment in the GAP Region” project, Argande is voluntarily supported by one of Turkey’s biggest and most innovative retail companies MUDO. Under the design coordination of fashion designer Hatice Gökçe, Argande designs created by leading designers are manufactured by southeastern women who are the direct beneficiaries of proceeds from sales. Designers like Alex Akimoğlu who have voluntarily agreed to draw designs and MUDO which is displaying the brand in 17 stores in 7 cities in Turkey, have significantly contributed to Argande’s popularity.
Expressing her excitement when her dream of meeting the designers came true, Fatma said her motivation to work increased because her craftsmanship would be used for Argande designs. Another southeastern woman who has been working for the project for a year said “I have been working for Argande for 12 months, and my family and the people around me value me more because I am now making money. Before that, no one used to love or respect me because I was a girl doomed to sit at home. Now everyone loves and respects me because I make as much money as a man. My family used to discriminate between boys and girls, and whatever I did was considered shameful or sinful. Now that I am making money, no one criticizes me and I can go anywhere anytime I want to. I am starting to feel liberated.”
Alex Akimoğlu explained that the will to work he witnessed beneath the sincerity and shyness of southeastern women when he visited the Multifunctional Community Centers in Gaziantep, had an important impact on his decision to design for the project. Akimoğlu who follows recent trends and ensures that the products are marketable noted that he receives positive feedback about his designs. Argande is an important project which was launched to provide employment opportunities for and broaden the horizons of southeastern women. I hope that the scope of such cooperations is expanded and that Argande becomes a well-known brand througout Turkey” concluded Akimoğlu.
In describing the story of Argande, an initiative under “Innovations of Women’s Empowerment in the GAP Region”, UNDP Project Manager Gönül Sulargil said that foundations for project were laid during the “9 fashion designers for 9 cities” initiative developed in the scope of “Socio-economic empowerment of Women in the GAP region”. Each designer was assigned to a different city and requested to create designs inspired by the regions motifs and fabrics. In search of an outlet where these products can be sold, the idea was shared with MUDO representatives. Sulargil said that MUDO approached the idea positively and wanted to see samples of the products. Under Hatice Gökçe’s coordination, eight leading designers in Turkey came up with a concept and hence the Argande brand was born.
Noting that the project significantly improved the lives of southeastern women, Sulargil added: “Some women who have never earned any money before, began to make money when they started to manufacture for Argande”. Women in need were specifically chosen to work at the ateliers and are now the sole income bearers in large families. Sulargil said that aside from being economically self-sufficient, providing livelihood for their families has undoubtedly changed the women’s stance in life.
“Innovations of Women’s Empowerment in the GAP Region” project aims to increase women’s participation in the labour force, re-brand South East Anatolia and create new opportunities for sales and marketing. In keeping with the Turkish Government’s GAP Action Plan announced in May 2008, the project is expected to contribute to Southeast Regional Competitiveness Agenda supported by UNDP. Efforts to sustain the project, which began in May 2008 and will end in March 2011, are continuing.
The summit is expected to undertake a comprehensive review of successes, best practices and lessons learned, obstacles and gaps, challenges and opportunities, “leading to concrete strategies for action”.
A significant opportunity for UN Member States to galvanize commitment, rally support and spur collective action in order to reach the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, the summit will focus on accelerating progress towards the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, taking into account the progress made with regard to the internationally agreed development goals, through a comprehensive review. The meeting will result in the adoption of a concise and action-oriented outcome to be agreed by Member States.
Over the course of three days, six plenary meetings and six interactive roundtables will take place. The six round-table sessions will have at least 50 seats each and will be co-chaired by two Heads of State or Government. The six round-table meetings will have the overarching objective of “Making it happen by 2015”, and each one will focus on one theme, as follows:
o Round table 1 — Addressing the challenge of poverty, hunger and gender equality
o Round table 2 — Meeting the goals of health and education
o Round table 3 — Promoting sustainable development
o Round table 4 — Addressing emerging issues and evolving approaches
o Round table 5 — Addressing the special needs of the most vulnerable
o Round table 6 — Widening and strengthening partnerships
The round-table sessions will be closed to the media and the general public. Summaries of the deliberations of the six round-table sessions will be presented orally by the chairpersons of the round-table sessions or their representatives during the concluding plenary meeting of the High-level Plenary Meeting. The HLPM will end with a closing session of one hour on the final day.
The UN General Assembly took a decision in July 2009 to hold such a high-level plenary meeting at the opening of its 65th session in 2010. At the Assembly’s request, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has issued a report setting out a proposed format and modalities for the event, which were agreed through consultations before the end of 2009. The Assembly has encouraged all countries to be represented at this important meeting at the level of Heads of State and Government.
“Time is short. We must seize this historic moment to act responsibly and decisively for the common good.” said Secretary-General to strongly urge Governments to engage constructively in the preparations for the HLPM.
In the 2009 Millennium Development Goals Report released earlier this year, the Secretary-General noted: "We have made important progress in this effort, and have many successes on which to build. But we have been moving too slowly to meet our goals". The 2010 high-level meeting, he hopes, will not only result in a renewal of existing commitments but also can decisively galvanize coordinated action among all stakeholders and elicit the funding needed to ensure the achievement of the Goals by 2015.
The MDGs incorporate key goals and targets of the broader development agenda, agreed upon by world leaders and other stakeholders at different UN Summits and Conferences. Thus, the MDGs are not about extreme poverty only, but also include goals and targets for education, maternal health, child mortality, public health, environmental sustainability and biodiversity. By linking the MDGs to the internationally agreed development agenda (IADA), world leaders and development partners have recognized the synergies among various development goals and targets, and the need for an integrated approach for achieving them.
Ten years on from the original adoption of the MDGs at the 2000 Millennium Summit, and despite remarkable progress in some countries, collectively the world is falling short in their achievement. The consequence of these shortfalls, further aggravated by the combined effects of the global food, climate, energy and economic crises, is that improvements in the lives of the poorest are happening at an unacceptably slow pace and in some countries, hard fought gains are being eroded. At the current pace, several of the eight MDGs and associated targets are likely to be missed in many countries. The challenges are most severe in the least developed countries (LDCs), land-locked developing countries (LLDCs) and some small island developing states (SIDS).
If the MDGs are to be achieved by 2015, not only must the level of financial investment be increased but innovative programmes and policies aimed at overall development and economic and social transformation must be rapidly scaled up and replicated.
The MDGs are achievable, but there is clearly an urgent need to address challenges, acknowledge failures and come together to overcome the obstacles to their achievement. This will require the embrace of pioneering ideas and political will on the part of governments and their development partners.
For a full calendar of events, click here.