Minister Özhaseki Emphasizes Green Transition in Industry at Environmental Awards Ceremony
The Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, Mehmet Özhaseki, delivered significant messages regarding Green Transition in Industry at the Environmental Awards Ceremony organized by Kocaeli Chamber of Industry. Minister Özhaseki stated that they will do whatever is necessary to achieve Green Transition across all sectors, particularly in industry. He emphasized, “If you make an effort in this matter, we will do our best. Green transition is not optional but a necessity. We must undertake the Green Transition to protect our sectoral market.”
Minister Mehmet Özhaseki attended the Shahabettin Bilgisu Environmental Awards Ceremony hosted by Kocaeli Chamber of Industry. During his speech, the Minister highlighted that Turkey is an earthquake-prone country, underscoring the importance of acting according to this reality. He mentioned that following the February 6, 2023 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, the government responded swiftly, stating, “Thousands of residences are being constructed in the earthquake zone. 153,000 people are working in 1,900 construction sites. We can describe this as the world’s largest construction site. We are also building village houses in 4,333 villages and renewing the infrastructure and city centers of places like Hatay, Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, and Malatya.”
MINISTER ÖZHASEKİ ADDRESSES MUCOUS ISSUE
Focusing on one of the ministry’s key topics, Minister Özhaseki drew attention to the mucilage issue, explaining that the reasons behind its formation include stagnant sea conditions, increased sea water temperatures, and nitrogen-phosphorus from household waste. He noted that cleaning efforts are ongoing.
TRAINING PROVIDED TO OVER 4,000 INDUSTRIALISTS
Minister Özhaseki emphasized the importance of Green Transition, stating they have provided training to more than 4,000 industrialists on this matter. “If you make an effort in this area, we will do our best. Green transition is not optional but a necessity. We must undertake the Green Transition to protect our sectoral market,” he reiterated.
THREE MAJOR PROJECTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED
Minister Özhaseki also provided information about three important projects to be undertaken by the Ministry, stating: “The first project is ‘The Seas Belong to the Public.’ We will eliminate any obstacles preventing public access to the seas. Demolitions have already begun. The second project is the Mapa Buoy Project. There are over 100,000 yachts in Turkey. They randomly tie to trees and anchor, damaging marine meadows, coastal trees, and our natural wealth. We will prevent such haphazard anchoring. The third project is the Deposit Management System. We are including plastic, glass, and aluminum packaged beverages between 0.1 and 3 liters in the return system. Citizens will bring these packaged products to the nearest return points and be part of the recycling and return system, reclaiming their deposit fees.”
Following the speeches, awards were presented to the representatives of the companies that ranked in the organization.