Gbadegesin, who was in Antalya within the scope of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, hosted for the first time by Türkiye, told the AA correspondent that CIF has been cooperating with Turkey for about 15 years, and that they carried out joint studies with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to expand renewable energy investments in the first period.
In this context, Gbadegesin stated that the favorable resources provided to Turkish financial institutions were used to support the renewable energy investments of small and medium-sized enterprises, and that they also supported capacity building studies with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in the following period.
Gbadegesin stated that the Industrial Decarbonization Program was created in 2020, a resource of 1.75 billion dollars was allocated to the program a few years ago, and 7 countries to be supported as a priority were determined.
Stating that the project proposal submitted by Türkiye was recently approved, Gbadegesin explained that the 250 million dollar financing provided will support green transformation investments in the industry through long-term loans and grants.
Support for green transformation in Türkiye's industrial production
Emphasizing that the financing will enable Türkiye to transform its industrial infrastructure in line with green production principles, Gbadegesin said:
"Thanks to this financing, Turkey will be able to support the transformation of its industrial infrastructure in line with green principles, together with the World Bank and the private sector. The program will contribute to Türkiye's industrial sector shifting towards green fertilizer, green steel and green aluminum production. This transformation offers a critical road map for Türkiye to create green employment and continue to be an important industrial production center for Europe and the rest of the world."
- Decarbonization in industry will support economic growth and employment
Pointing out that the decarbonization process in the industry can be carried out together with economic growth and competitiveness, Gbadegesin stated that the program aims to increase the use of renewable energy, introduce new technologies and expand production capacity.
Gbadegesin explained that the use of new technologies and electrolyzers based on green production principles are among the important parts of this transformation.
Pointing out that decarbonization in industry can create new employment opportunities, Gbadegesin said, "In addition, it will increase production capacity, thus providing new employment opportunities and economic growth. What makes the Industrial Decarbonization Program strong for all countries is that it can combine climate targets with economic development and growth through industry." he said.
Praise for Türkiye's COP31 presidency
Stating that Türkiye's COP31 presidency offers an important opportunity to strengthen global cooperation on green transformation in industry, Gbadegesin noted that Türkiye can bring the role of industry in climate targets to the agenda more strongly in this process.
Gbadegesin expressed his satisfaction with Türkiye hosting COP31 and thanked the Turkish people for their hospitality.
Pointing out that industry is one of the sectors where emission reduction is most difficult, Gbadegesin stated that the progress in this field will have important results in terms of combating global warming and said, "If we can be successful in this sector, we can have an important opportunity to progress towards the goal of reducing emissions and limiting global warming." made his assessment.
