Istanbul Climate Change Action Plan Roadmap and Good Practices

For Istanbul, which is one of the most crowded cities in Turkey and Europe, a climate change action plan roadmap was prepared in 2013, with the financial support of the Istanbul Development Agency, by GTE and ERM under the Directorate of Environmental Protection of IMM.

The scope and content of the climate change action plan, approaches that can be used in planning and development, stakeholder analysis, implementation, monitoring, and performance evaluation were discussed within the scope of the project, in which the scope and timetable of the Istanbul Climate Change Action Plan were determined in detail. In addition, other cities in the world with climate change action plans were examined and analysed, and successful examples were presented to the municipality by compiling sustainability and climate-friendly practices.

Other projects we have realized with IMM:

Eco-Industrial Park Transformation in Izmir: Green IAOZB Project

The “Eco-Industrial Park Transformation in Izmir: Green IAOZB Project”, which is being carried out by the Izmir Atatürk Organized Industrial Zone (IAOZB) management with the feasibility support received from Izmir Development Agency (İZKA) and supervised by GTE, was completed in December 2019.

In the project, it was aimed to determine the technical application possibilities suitable for IAOZB and to reveal a sustainable management model in accordance with the purpose of transforming IAOZB into an Eco-Industrial Park (EEP). Within the scope of the study, field visits were made to 57 companies as a result of the preliminary interviews conducted over the phone with 170 companies operating in the food, textile, chemical, plastic, metal and motor vehicle sectors, which stood out in the IAOZB, and questions were administered within the scope of the survey.

With the activities carried out within the scope of the project, environmental, economic, social, and sustainable management model issues were discussed. Considering the environmental gains that can be achieved in the case of the realization of the projects with the feasibility; Annual savings of approximately 3 million m3 of water and 795 MWh of energy are anticipated. It has been determined that the economic gains that can be obtained are amortized in approximately 4.8 years, with the cost of the required investments being approximately 4.8 million USD.

Istanbul Climate Change Risks, Opportunities and Vulnerabilities

The aim of the work carried out within the scope of the Istanbul Climate Change Action Plan (İİDEP) is to take the most appropriate measures against the climatic risks and to provide the city with a structure resistant to the dangers of climate change, in parallel with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions throughout the city.

Within the scope of the project, the information obtained in the previous work packages of İİDEP has been evaluated, and risks, opportunities and vulnerabilities that may arise, including regional mapping and data analysis, have been identified for the relevant area, sector, and stakeholders in the region. The extent to which climatic changes threaten critical infrastructures in Istanbul has been evaluated, and a risk rating has been made for sectors and critical infrastructure.

Other projects we have realized with BB:

Gaziantep Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP)

Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP) for Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, under the leadership of Ekodenge; GTE was completed in 2018 together with ESCON Energy and TURKECO.

In the project, it is aimed to prepare a greenhouse gas emission inventory, to determine actions within the scope of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, to identify the risks and fragile sectors that will be brought by climate change, and to prepare actions for adaptation to climate change. As a result of the project, it is foreseen that emissions will be reduced by 40% in the province by 2030, and reduction and adaptation actions applicable to many sectors have been determined.

Modelling of Industrial Symbiosis and Cleaner Production with Renewable Energy in Malatya Locality Project

Malatya Metropolitan Municipality implemented the Project of Modelling Industrial Symbiosis and Cleaner Production with Renewable Energy in Malatya Locality in 2020, and a feasibility report was prepared in this context.

Malatya Metropolitan Municipality aims to provide a sustainable environment and to develop locally by reducing energy dependence by evaluating the waste sludge treated in the wastewater treatment plant of the Maski General Directorate and released as a pollutant to the nature and the sludge of the Organized Industrial Zone treatment plant.

In the project, drying and burning the sludge and converting the heat energy released into electrical energy, meeting the institutional energy expenditure; Scenarios of generating income by using the inert heat of Solid Waste Integrated Environmental Management Facility belonging to Malatya Metropolitan Municipality and selling the excess amount of produced energy or drying the sludge using inert heat and generating income by selling the dry sludge have been studied. Within the scope of the project, it is aimed to develop industrial relations and ensure resource efficiency with the new power generation facility planned to be established.

Use of Metal Corrosion Waste in the Production of High Value Coagulants

Turkey Material Marketplace (TMM) R&D project supported by EBRD SAUERESSIG Prepress Preparation Systems San. Trade Inc. carried out together with the overall aim of the study was to investigate the regeneration feasibility of rotogravure cylinder production waste (e.g., FeCl3) to develop high performance coagulant that can be used commercially in various industries.

This R&D project will guide the applicable technological options for the purification/regeneration of ferric chloride (FeCl3) wastes, and it is anticipated that the results of the study will help direct the ferrous chloride waste to more useful and valuable industrial applications, rather than sending it to waste disposal sites. Within the scope of the project, technical, economic, legal, and environmental evaluations of potential waste exchange were made.

Another project we have done with the EBRD:

Mugla Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP)

The “Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Action Plan”, which was consulted by GTE, was prepared for Mugla Metropolitan Municipality (MBB) in 2013. Within the scope of the project, it is aimed to identify the important sources that cause greenhouse gas emissions and to define the necessary measures.

Within the scope of the study, energy consumption trends at the provincial level were examined, greenhouse gas emissions were calculated and areas with greenhouse gas reduction opportunities were determined. In the studies, it has been determined that the most important sources causing greenhouse gas emissions are fuel consumption in existing thermal power plants, fuel consumption for transportation purposes and storage of wastes. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions within the scope of SEEP, it was observed that the waste storage, transportation, and electricity consumption sectors ranked first. The basic actions defined according to the original situation of Mugla within the scope of SEEP have been determined for the waste sector and the transportation sector in this direction, and it has been revealed that if the renewable energy potential of Mugla is evaluated, greenhouse gas emissions due to electricity consumption will also decrease significantly.

Another project we have realized with Mugla Metropolitan Municipality:

Exploring Eskisehir Industrial Symbiosis (ES) Possibilities

The “Eskisehir Industrial Symbiosis (ES) Possibilities Research Project”, conducted by Bursa Eskisehir Bilecik Development Agency (BEBKA) and technically supervised by GTE, was completed as of December 2019. Within the scope of the project, industrial symbiosis potentials between the companies in Eskisehir were revealed with the cooperation of Eskisehir Organized Industrial Zone (EOZB) and Eskisehir Chamber of Industry (ESO). In this framework, while targeting resource efficiency and competitive advantage in companies, environmental and economic gains that companies will achieve as a result of their cooperation are evaluated.

Within the scope of the project, the prominent sectors in Eskisehir were determined, surveys were conducted and. Field studies were completed by visiting 50 companies and 5 institutions. The synergy workshop of the project was held on April 2, 2019, with the participation of 71 people representing 43 companies and institutions from various sectors. Among the 217 possibilities identified, 5 industrial symbiosis opportunities, which were considered as high priority, could create potential, and could be implemented as a pilot project, were determined and feasibility concept notes were prepared.

Considering the environmental gains that can be achieved in the event of the realization of these 5 projects; Annual savings of approximately 88 thousand tons of raw materials, energy savings of 3-30%, and reductions in CO2 emissions of 13-50% are envisaged. The economic gains that can be achieved are a decrease in production costs of approximately 2 million TL and a decrease in transportation costs of approximately 1.5 million TL.

Another project we realized with BEBKA:

Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Light Rail System Carbon Certification

The Light Rail System Carbon Certification project carried out by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality was financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and its consultancy was carried out by GTE as a local partner.

The registration of the project was completed by the Verified Carbon Standard in December 2013, and the greenhouse gas reductions achieved in the first monitoring period between July 2015 and June 2016 were also verified by independent organizations. Within the scope of the work completed in January 2017, the greenhouse gas reduction achieved during this period was calculated and certified as 7,092 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. The project in question is the first voluntary carbon project carried out by a municipality in Turkey, and it is also the first project in Turkey to receive an emission reduction certificate in the field of transportation, and one of the few projects in the world.

Investigation of Industrial Symbiosis Opportunities in Aksaray Organized Industrial Zone

The “Investigation of Industrial Symbiosis Opportunities in Aksaray Organized Industrial Zone Project”, which was initiated under the leadership of Ahiler Development Agency and carried out by the joint venture of GTE and Ekodenge companies, was completed in 2018.

Within the scope of the project, environmental/economic cooperation potentials (waste exchange, joint/reverse logistics, joint emergency plans, etc.) that companies operating in and around Aksaray OIZ could benefit from were investigated. Sectors that have a significant economic value (number of firms, turnover, employment, etc.) and/or create significant environmental impacts (resource use, waste generation, carbon emissions, etc.) in the Aksaray region have been identified.

As a result of the literature review for prominent sectors, various industrial symbiosis possibilities have been identified that can serve as an example. A total of 54 facilities and 10 institutions operating in the identified priority sectors in the provinces of Aksaray, Kırıkkale, Kırşehir, Nevşehir and Niğde were visited, and a synergy workshop was held afterwards. Based on the evaluations made after the technical visits to the companies and the synergy workshop, feasibility concept notes were prepared for 5 priority industrial symbiosis possibilities.