Greenpeace calls on Turkey to ratify the Paris Agreement

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Greenpeace has called on the decision makers in Turkey to take swift action in the face of the climate crisis, the effects of which are experienced by people in their daily life and at home as natural disasters.

Recalling that Turkey has not yet ratified the Paris Climate Agreement, Greenpeace has also referred to the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report.

Launching a petition* raising its requests as well, Greenpeace has noted that "while the climate crisis was perceived as a threat limited to melting glaciers and starving polar bears 20 years ago, today, it is seen that the calls for 'not being too little too late' have turned out to be true."

The organization has raised concerns that "climate crisis is not only knocking at our door now, but it has entered our house by breaking down the door with floods, fires, severe hailstorms and drought."

"Unless swift action is taken and necessary measures are introduced, an increase in the frequency and intensity of all these disasters will be inevitable," Greenpeace statement has warned further.

What did the IPCC report say?

Referring to the IPCC's 6th Assessment report, Greenpeace has recalled that just like its previous report, the IPCC's 6th report has indicated that an entire escape from disaster scenarios is not possible anymore, adding that limiting these effects can only be possible by reducing carbon emissions by half by 2030 and targeting net zero emissions by the year 2050.

While the report has eliminated all doubts about the fact that the crisis is a human-induced one, it has also shown that a struggle against the crisis is only possible with changes to be created by people 2050.

The statement of the organization has also stressed that if necessary measures are taken, warming can be reduced to 1.4 by the end of 2100.

Call to Turkey: Ratify the agreement

Referring specifically to Turkey, Greenpeace has recalled that "while all governments of the world are obliged to fulfill the commitments of the Paris Climate Agreement without delay, Turkey, which has not yet ratified the Agreement, has so many steps to take on this path."

Greenpeace has listed these steps as follows:

• Turkey should ratify and enforce the Paris Agreement without delay.
• It should set its calendar for its coal phase-out; new investments for coal and works of fossil gas exploration should be halted; energy transformation should be prioritized.
• In order to design a country with zero carbon emissions in 2050, strategic action plans should be developed for reduction of emissions in cities and prioritization of adaptation to climate crisis.
• Protection sites should be formed in oceans and seas.
• The protection of natural sites and biodiversity should be prioritized.
• Small-scale farmers should be fostered and ecological agriculture should be supported.

(TP/SD)

* Click here to sign the petition (in Turkish)