In the 2012 Rio+20 Sustainable Development Conference, sectors closely related to environmental sustainability are listed as agriculture, forestry, fishing, renewable energy, resource intensive production, recycling, construction and transportation. Turkey’s presentation at this Conference introduced its approach to green jobs. It identified the following sectors for creating green jobs: power generation from waste heat, water and energy saving dishwasher production, sustainable environmentally friendly automotive production, vegetable waste oil collection system production, environmental loan applications in the banking sector, sustainable management of electronic waste, and organic strawberry production, eco-efficiency (cleaner production) programs. Yet, most of these were left on the paper in the last decade.

According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) 80,827 people are employed in environmental activities in 189 public institutions and organizations. This number corresponds to 0.30% of the total employment (80.827 persons). 2% (4.290.000 people) in EU countries, 2.3% (3.401.279) in the USA and 1.5% in OECD countries are employees in green jobs.

Most of the “green business” opportunities in Turkey are in various renewable energy fields such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and water. In addition, there is employment potential in the tourism, agriculture, and building sectors within the framework of sustainability. According to a Greenpeace study from 2015, employment in the energy sector could rise to 58% above 2012 levels with 133,000 (~1% of the total employment) in 2030. It is estimated that renewable energy will be able to meet 74% of energy employment by 2030, with the largest share belonging to biomass (29%) and solar heating. (For further information: Selin, ÜNER, “YEŞİL İŞLERİN İSTİHDAM YARATABİLME POTANSİYELİ SEÇİLMİŞ ÜLKE UYGULAMALARI VE TÜRKİYE İŞ KURUMU İÇİN ÖNERİLER“)

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Activity Rating: **Standing Still

Turkey is looking for a way out of its severe economic and political crisis. It cannot do this not by allowing companies in the energy and construction industries to commit more environmental destruction. It needs a comprehensive infrastructure policy that will ensure a fair, green economic transformation in the country. The latest solar energy project YEKA-3 can be a good example of this kind of infrastructure development.

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Take Action

Alert Message:

Dear Fatih Dönmez, Minister of Energy

The policies of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources under your command can play a significant role in solving the unemployment problem in Turkey. Encouragement of renewable energy investments. These investments include renewal of electricity lines to reduce losses, public transport investments, building efficiency, an increase or recycling efficiency and in water and energy use in cities and industrial areas, development of technology for biogas and compost production from waste, and support for ecological agriculture and the establishment of a new forest management system against growing forest fires due to droughts. Your department has already been aware of the need for these policies to support these kinds of investments yet as failed to take action this far. Any step forward will be better than standing still as Turkey does today.

Best regards,

Contact

Address: Nasuh Akar Mah. Türkocağı Cad. No:2 06520 Çankaya/Ankara/TÜRKİYE

Tel: 0 (312) 212 64 20

Fax: 0 (312) 222 57 60

E-mail: bilgi@enerji.gov.tr

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This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard Turkey Country Manager Onur Yimaz