'Turkey should follow EU's path towards green economy'

ISTANBUL

Turkey should follow the path of the European Union towards a more sustainable, efficient and green economy, a member of the EU delegation to Turkey said Tuesday.

Against the backdrop of the Circular Economy Week of Turkey, Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut pointed out that the Green Deal is one of the most important programs for the EU in the post-pandemic period.

"The agreement focuses on making the EU a clean, efficient and competitive economy and a structure that will find solutions to environmental problems," he said, adding this a new growth strategy of the bloc.

"We will try to reach an EU economy which is carbon neutral but competitive," he said.

"The Turkish private sector has been paying greater attention to the EU's green deal, the good news for the future," he added, noting a stronger partnership is needed on the climate policy.

Green deal to bring opportunities

The EU wants to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in 2050, ensuring economic growth through the reuse of resources, noted Angel Gutierrez Hidalgo De Quintana, the head of the economic and social development section of the EU delegation to Turkey.

Reminding that there are many different goals in the agreement, Quintana said: "We are increasing our claim on climate with the new targets for 2030 and 2050. Providing economic and safe energy is already at the basis of the circular economy."

The EU Commission has introduced a new Circular Economy Action Plan -- one of the main blocks of the European Green Deal, Europe’s new agenda for sustainable growth.

The plan includes initiatives along the entire life cycle of products, targeting for instance their design, promoting circular economy processes, fostering sustainable consumption and aiming to ensure that the resources used are kept in the EU economy for as long as possible.

He noted goals such as the establishment of a chain, that is, the establishment of the farm to fork system, the protection of economic diversity and the zero pollution environment -- a huge commitment and a huge effort and a significant cost for the EU.

"All of the Green Deal work should bring economic benefits. Fossil fuel imports in the EU are above 35% so are investing in an economically meaningful place."

He also stressed that cooperation on green transformation with Turkey is quite vital, saying Turkey's waste management strategy in this case is significant, given the close trade ties between the two sides.

"We want Turkey to join forces in the transition to a green economy," he added.

*Writing and contributions by Aysu Bicer in Ankara