Environment Minister Mehmet Özhaseki Leads Meeting on Marmara Sea Action Plan
Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, Mehmet Özhaseki, chaired the “4th Meeting of the Marmara Sea Action Plan Science and Technical Committee.” During the meeting held at the Dolmabahçe Office, Özhaseki reiterated the significance of the Marmara Sea Action Plan, emphasizing its comprehensive and determined implementation to keep the sea clean and blue.
In attendance were governors and mayors from provinces bordering the Marmara Sea, members of the Marmara Sea Action Plan Coordination Board, academics, and ministry officials. Minister Özhaseki highlighted the ministry’s substantial contributions to preventing marine pollution. He particularly focused on the mucilage problem, stressing the necessity of collective efforts from related institutions, local governments, and NGOs.
Özhaseki conveyed the meticulous efforts to cleanse the sea’s surface from mucilage within a month and the ongoing supervision of waste discharge facilities. The minister acknowledged the scientific and technical committee formed with 21 scientists to address the mucilage issue as a significant stride toward a sustainable marine environment. The Integrated and Strategic Plan for the Marmara Sea (2021-2024) and its designation as a Special Environmental Protection Area were also significant measures mentioned.
He underscored that 14 out of the 22 actions in the plan focus on reducing pollution, an essential step to resolve and prevent threats like mucilage, which he described as symptomatic of the larger issue.
Concluding his remarks, Minister Özhaseki stressed that the meeting’s purpose was to assess institutional efforts, correct any shortcomings, and rapidly implement the action plan. “We will consult, collaborate, and tackle this issue together,” he affirmed.