The ‘Decarbonisation of the Turkish Steel Sector Project’, which will serve to better define the decarbonisation needs of the iron and steel sector, which is considered a strategic sector for the Turkish economy and industry, started in June 2022. 

The aim of the activities carried out within the scope of the project is to provide analytical data and assessments for the decarbonisation efforts of the steel sector in line with the 2053 net zero emission targets. The Project is expected to be implemented in 4 phases.

Project Phase I: May 2022 - March 2023

Project Phase II: April 2023 - May 2024

Project Phase III: June 2024 - January 2025

Project Phase IV: February 2025 - December 2025

For more information about the project, please contact Dursun Baş.

Publications:

Decarbonization of the Turkish Steel Sector: Current State

Decarbonization of the Turkish Steel Sector: Current Status (Executive Summary in English)

Decarbonization Options in the Steel Sector

Decarbonisation of the Turkish Steel Sector: Policy and Actor Analysis

The Decarbonization of the Turkish Steel Sector: Policy and Actor Analysis - Executive Summary in English 

As Istanbul Policy Center, we have partnered with TUFTS University, Climate Policy Lab in the Raising Ambition Project.

The Raising Ambition Project is an initiative aimed at guiding major emerging economies in developing effective decarbonization strategies. By employing the Policy Gap Analysis (PGA) methodology, the project evaluates the efficacy of current policies and explores innovative approaches for deep decarbonization. This collaborative endeavor brings together local and international stakeholders in a six-step process. For details please visit project's web page: https://ipc.sabanciuniv.edu/en/raising-ambition-project

“Decarbonization Pathways for Turkey” project aims to provide a projection for the long-term decarbonization of the Turkish economy with a particular focus on the power sector. The relevant decarbonization pathway will aim to contribute to global emissions reduction efforts, according to the global carbon budget of 1.5–2°C set out in the Paris Agreement, based on the principles of equity and compliance.

COBENEFITS: Mobilizing the Social and Economic Co-benefits of Climate Action and Renewable Energy

The COBENEFITS project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). COBENEFITS cooperates with national authorities and knowledge partners in Germany, India, South Africa, Vietnam, and Turkey to help them mobilize the co-benefits of climate action and renewable energy in their countries.

The project is coordinated by the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS, lead) in partnership with the Renewables Academy (RENAC), the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (UfU), International Energy Transition GmbH (IET) and, in Turkey, Sabanci University-Istanbul Policy Center (IPC).

For detailed information, please visit project page.

The Right to A Future Program was jointly established by Istanbul Policy Center at Sabancı University and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Lund University in order to ensure a rights-based discussion on climate action, to support work toward this end, and to strengthen the discourse of human rights and the rights of nature for climate action.

For detailed information please visit project page. 

(2015-2018)

This is a research project comparing Turkey, Germany, and Poland’s energy systems, perspectives, future energy policies, and how each country approaches the global trend toward a low-carbon transition in order to understand the dynamics of carbon lock-in in Turkey. The research comprised visits and interviews with relevant institutions and experts in Germany, Poland, and Turkey. The project was run by Ümit Şahin and supported by European Climate Foundation.

(2016-2017)

“Green Climate, Green Economy” was realised in the framework of the Civil Society Dialogue Programme co-financed by the Republic of Turkey and the European Union. This programme was developed as a platform for civil society organisations in Turkey and the European Union to collaborate around a common theme, bringing about occasion for the societies to increase familiarity with one another, and organisations to exchange knowledge and establish lasting dialogue.

In”Green Climate, Green Economy” we conducted research resulting in the development of tangible policy proposals in the areas of cities, energy, and land use, in line with Turkey’s climate change mitigation and adaptation goals. The project aimed to adapt best practices from EU countries to local conditions in Turkey and translate them into policy proposals.

Apart from working visits to Brussels, Çanakkale, İzmir and Bursa, we had three workshops on Cities, Energy and Land Use respectively. Their findings were brought together in a report, which you can access here.

With support from our project partners the Green European Foundation (GEF) and Sabancı University’s Istanbul Policy Center, and together with European civil society, academia, and local governments, we hope that this serves as a firm step for greener dialogue between the EU and Turkey.