In his speech at the "Climate, Environment, Women 2030 Managing Women Leaders Forum" held in a hotel in Gaziantep, Minister Göktaş expressed his condolences to the workers who lost their lives in the mining accident in Soma district of Manisa and their families. Emphasizing that the ministry's psychosocial support teams have been on the field from the first moment, Göktaş said that they will continue to support the miners' families.
Stating that climate change is not only an issue of the environment but also of justice, development and family, Göktaş said: "When a drought, flood or heat wave hits a country, it first affects the family's table, the child's school and the care of the elderly. Women are not only the victims of the climate crisis, but also the subject of the fight against and solution to this problem. According to the European Central Bank's research examining 2 thousand companies, as the rate of female managers increases, the carbon emissions of the companies decrease. In other words, when women are at the decision-making table, the planet wins. The world now wins when women are at the decision-making table." "He is not discussing his role in the struggle, he is talking about how to strengthen this role. Now is the time for us to put this common will on the field."
Stating that women must be empowered in order to achieve the climate target, Göktaş said that no climate target can be truly implemented without the empowerment of women who till the land in the countryside, manage water and energy in the city, and respond to disasters first.
Pointing out that Türkiye's journey to combat climate change is based on this understanding, Göktaş said: "The 2053 Net Zero Emission target put forward by our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, envisages a transformation that covers all segments of society. Our National Contribution Declaration includes equality between men and women as a fundamental principle in this transformation. The Zero Waste Movement, carried out under the auspices of the esteemed First Lady Emine Erdoğan, aims to support women and girls." "As the Ministry, we see women's empowerment as an integral part of the fight against climate change, because we consider women's empowerment as the fundamental element of healthy families, a prosperous society and sustainable development."
Reminding that Türkiye will host COP31 in Antalya this year, Göktaş stated that the summit was defined as the "Implementation COP" and said, "Now is the time for action rather than words, implementation rather than commitment. One of the strongest carriers of the implementation in the field will undoubtedly be women." he said.
PROJECTS FOR WOMEN
Stating that they determined environment and climate change as one of the main policy areas in the Women's Empowerment Strategy Document and Action Plan, Göktaş said that they are working to make women's entrepreneurship one of the strong elements of the green economy.
Explaining that they aim to reach 1 million women with the "Waste-free Sustainable Life with Women" project, Göktaş noted that they will appoint "female zero waste ambassadors" in all 81 provinces.
Stating that they aim to transform household waste into value-added products through trainings led by women's cooperatives, Göktaş stated that zero waste will also contribute to the economic empowerment of women.
Pointing out the importance of "just transition" in the green transformation process, Göktaş said that women should be more involved in new professions, technology and green financing areas.
Göktaş stated that they examined the adaptation processes of women and girls to climate change with the "Research Project on the Effects of Climate Change on Women" and noted that they will develop policies that take into account the needs of women.
Stating that they attach importance to women giving more direction to climate policies in public administration, local governments, science, technology and business world, Göktaş expressed his hope that the ideas and suggestions that will emerge in the forum will make a strong contribution to COP31.
OTHER TALKS
Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Fatma Varank said that Turkey will host COP31, one of the world's largest climate diplomacy organizations, in Antalya between 9-20 November.
Stating that they are working intensively for the COP31 organization, Varank said:
"We are working, our municipalities are working, our non-governmental organizations are working, all our ministries are working. Together, hand in hand, we will carry this struggle to the end. It will be a meeting in which we expect very important decisions to be made. Because Turkey, due to its geographical location, is a bridge connecting the south and north, east and west. It has the ability to build the same bridge in the field of diplomacy. As Turkey, we will both host and chair within the same group."
AK Party Deputy Chairman and Head of Environment and Urbanization Policies Nilhan Ayan explained that climate change is no longer just an environmental issue, it is a very important issue that directly affects the future of water, food, energy, production and cities, and that climate change should be taken into the center when talking about the future.
Stating that women's place in this process is important, Ayan said, "In our history, women have established and continued life. They have assumed responsibility, taken decisions and left their mark in a wide range of areas, from family life to production, from solidarity to city life. The AK Party has determined reflecting this power on the field and in politics as one of its basic principles. The AK Party has grown with the labor of women, risen on their shoulders and strengthened with their sacrifices. Today, we are in a process where we need to carry this understanding even further." he said.
Pointing out that it is important to increase the representation of women in technical and engineering fields, Ayan stated that the representation of women, especially as negotiators and decision-makers, in the United Nations' climate change framework processes has increased in recent years.
Nilden Bektaş Erhürman, wife of TRNC President Tufan Erhürman, stated that climate change is a reality for the whole world, but it is much more real for them in terms of the basin they are in.
Nilden Bektaş Erhürman said: "Unfortunately, climate change in the Middle East is a big problem both regionally and for us. Of course, we are an island country, as you know. We are still at a disadvantage in many issues. Our water resources are low. We are mostly dependent on foreign sources for fuel. Our natural resources are not in very strong quantities. We do not have heavy industry. Despite this, we are one of the regions that will be most affected by climate change. Injustice is added to these. Therefore, while developing our climate policies, we need to be more resilient, adapt more and "We have to make our country suitable for this in order to improve our adaptation capacity. We have to work hard on this issue."
Erhürman mentioned that global climate change and policies regarding it are important for the island.
United Nations Women's (UN Women) Türkiye Country Director Maryse Guimond drew attention to the importance of women's active participation in decision-making processes regarding the climate crisis.
Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fatma Şahin said that they made the city one of the most ready provinces for COP31 with their municipal services.
Talking about municipal services, Şahin explained the work they have implemented to combat climate change and protect the environment. Following the forum, a panel titled "Women's Leadership in Climate and Environmental Transformation" was held.
