Water and carbon footprint studies and water risk assessment for ENKA group subsidiaries in 3 countries (Turkey, Russia, and Georgia) were completed in 2018.
Within the scope of the study, preliminary risk assessment, water and carbon footprint and density calculations and CDP reporting were carried out.
Water efficiency studies in the glass industry, which started in 2019, were carried out at Şişecam’s 15 production facilities in Turkey and were completed in 2020.
Within the scope of the study, water pre-treatment methods, the processes that use the most water, water monitoring infrastructure and wastewater management practices in the facility were evaluated and water maps were prepared by GTE. Implementation possibilities for increasing water efficiency and recycling have been developed, and suggestions have been made for future monitoring methods and application methods. As a result of the project, water use and management reports were prepared, including the benefits to be provided by the application possibilities determined for each facility.
“Media Recovery from Biogas Facility Wastes”, under the direction of METU Environmental Engineering Department (Assist. Prof. Dr. Yasemin Dilşad Yılmazel), where Cranfield University (Dr. Imma Bortone) and GTE are the project partners and SÜTAŞ is the beneficiary. and Fertilizer Production with High Value Added project was supported by the Katip Çelebi-Newton Fund under the joint program of the Royal Academy of Engineering (United Kingdom) and TUBITAK.
The main purpose of the project is to transform wastewater, which causes significant environmental problems when not treated sufficiently, into valuable products. Within the scope of the project, which will last for 2 years, the use of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) compounds, which can cause various operational problems in biogas plants and are found extensively in wastewater, for the production of “Struvite”, a valuable fertilizer, will be investigated.
Within the scope of the Inditex Productivity Program, he provided technical consultancy to GTE Inditex Group suppliers in 2019 and 2020. Within the scope of the project, training and on-site inspections were conducted for 4 Inditex Group supplier textile companies located in various cities of Turkey (Tekirdağ, Kırklareli, Denizli, Uşak). During the facility visit of the textile manufacturers, chemical, dye, and energy saving opportunities, mainly water, were investigated and reports containing recommendations were prepared for each facility.
In 2019, GTE carried out water and energy efficiency studies within the scope of clean production for 2 textile companies located in Bursa, one of the H&M suppliers. Within the scope of the study, facility visits were made, and on-site inspections were made. During the field studies, the technical situation analysis of the facilities was carried out. Following the site visits, water and energy efficiency opportunities were researched and reports were prepared on facility-based application possibilities.
Another project we have done with H&M:
As part of the H&M productivity program, GTE conducted training and on-site inspections for 20 different H&M supplier textile companies across Turkey (Tekirdağ, Kırklareli, Istanbul, Malatya, Kahramanmaraş, Bursa, Denizli, İzmir) in 2018. During the facility visit of textile manufacturers, water, chemical, dye, and energy saving opportunities were investigated and reports containing recommendations were prepared for each facility.
In 2019, GTE monitoring studies were carried out during the implementation phase of manufacturers’ related resource and eco-efficiency opportunities. Within the scope of monitoring, a repeat visit was made to the facilities and developments were evaluated.
Another project we have done with H&M:
With the EU Civil Society Dialogue CSD-V Grant, the “Zero Carbon Point” project was implemented in partnership with the Lifelong Learning Vocational Education and Development Association, Aegean Forest Foundation, RENAC energy & Climate GmbH. In the project, it is aimed to observe the activities that will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, to adapt the components in the renewable energy sector to daily life and to exhibit good practice examples in the efficient use of natural resources.
Within the scope of the project, GTE carried out the preparation of the Water Footprint Calculation Module and the Carbon Footprint Calculation Module to be used on the Aegean Forest Foundation website. It is aimed that the modules will be a module that uses data on a provincial basis for Turkey and allows for original calculations. All necessary items (direct and indirect water footprint calculations and blue, green and grey water footprint calculations for water footprint; air and road transportation tab for carbon footprint, electricity consumption tab, domestic heating tab that allows calculation for data of different fuel types) have been taken into account to calculate the personal footprint in the water and carbon footprint modules.
The “Water Sustainability of the Turkish Dairy Industry: Efficiency, Risks and Vulnerabilities” project was carried out by the Association of Packaged Milk and Dairy Products Manufacturers (ASÜD) with the support of the Turkey – EU Civil Society Dialogue call for the fifth term. In the project where ASÜD is the coordinator beneficiary; International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) from England, Water Footprint Network (WFN) from Netherlands and Climate Research Association (IAD)-GTE from Turkey took place as co-beneficiaries.
The aim of the project is to assess the water risk and examine the possible effects of water risk on the value chain, thereby reducing the vulnerability of the Turkish dairy sector regarding water-related risks. Within the scope of the project, field visits were carried out at the farm and enterprise level, and the water dependency in the entire value chain of the current water use in the Turkish dairy industry (feed, dairy animal raising, milk and dairy products production and delivery to the consumer) and the impact of the dairy sector on water resources were evaluated.
With the cooperation of WWF-Turkey and H&M Group, the Incentive of Cleaner Production Practices in the Textile Sector project in the Buyuk Menderes and Ergene Basins, where GTE is the technical consultant, was carried out between 2017 and 2019 to encourage clean production practices in the textile industry and reduce the sectoral water risks. The presentation of the “Cleaner Production Guide in the Textile Industry”, prepared within the scope of the project, was made on September 24, 2018, at the Denizli Organized Industrial Zone Directorate with the participation of private sector, public and non-governmental organizations.
Within the scope of the project, studies focused on clean production and water resources management for the textile sector in the Büyük Menderes and Ergene Basins were carried out, and clean production studies were conducted for 10 companies located in the cities of Aydin, Denizli, Usak, Tekirdag and Kirklareli.
With the team of GTE, ERCST and ReedSmith, T.C. Under the coordination of the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, with the support of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the Paris Agreement Article 6 Market Mechanisms and Turkey’s Options Evaluation project is carried out. The aim of the project is to evaluate opportunities and possibilities for Turkey to benefit from Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and to build capacity and analytical knowledge for policy makers in Turkey.
Within the scope of the project, the interactions between new market mechanisms and possible emissions trading systems (ETS) in Turkey will be analyzed. Reviewing the current situation of Turkey, developing a negotiation strategy for Turkey on Article 6, organizing a workshop and preparing a report will be carried out.
A stakeholder meeting was held on 6-7 February 2020 with the participation of public and private sector representatives operating in Ankara, where issues such as Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, Carbon Markets, COP25, Kyoto Protocol, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change were discussed.