All over the world, the economy continues to evolve, renew itself and differentiate into a different field with each passing day. With each new development in technology, either a brand new product begins to be offered to consumers, or an existing product is offered with different versions or versions. Accordingly, the production methods also differ. In this whole cycle, only one point is often overlooked, nature. At the end of the day, every action taken or every step taken for people to continue their existence in the world, especially economic activities, causes irreversible damage to nature. On the one hand, while natural resources are depleted, the emission of greenhouse gases increases and the climate is changing; on the other hand, our environment is being destroyed in a way that it will never be the same again due to the high emission rates and increasing carbon dioxide. The European Green Deal is the most important step taken to prevent this trend and to reduce the consumption of natural resources and to build economic growth on more recyclable and renewable systems, to reduce and then end the emission of greenhouse gases to the nature, and to reset the emission rates after 2050.
The European Green Deal is a step taken by EU countries to leave a cleaner, livable and better world for the future. It is a growth plan that includes eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, changing the dependence of economic growth on resource use, and applying it all over the world simultaneously. It is said that as a result of the Deal, emissions will decrease and besides this, it will increase the quality of human life by creating new job sites and opportunities. With the European Green Deal, not only a new system that concerns the environment, but also a new international trade system is being established.
The European Green Deal consists of 7 strategies with different coverages:
• Biodiversity
• From Field to Fork
• Clean energy
• Sustainable Industry
• Construction and Renovation
• Sustainable Movement
• Elimination of Pollution
It is envisaged that these regulations will be made in almost every sector. Experts think that everywhere that has commercial relations with this region, especially the European Union countries, and in particular the fields of cement, construction, building, retail, textile, agriculture, food, energy and industry, where carbon emissions are high, will be seriously affected by these changes.
Steps are being taken for a carbon-free world
For a carbon neutral Europe, emissions need to be reduced by 90% by 2050 in the transport sector, which is responsible for a quarter of emissions. Multimodal transport will assist the target of carbon reduction in the transport system. First of all, a significant portion of 75% of inland freight transport carried by road today will be shifted to railways and inland waterways. Fossil fuel subsidies need to end. In the context of the Energy Taxation Directive revision, the Commission will look closely at how to close existing tax exemptions, including on aviation and marine fuels. It is on the agenda to reduce the EU Emissions Trading System allowances allocated to airlines free of charge and to include the maritime sector in the system. By 2025, approximately 1 million charging and refueling stations are needed for the 13 million zero and low emission vehicles expected to be on European roads.
The European Green Deal announced an action plan that aims to increase the efficient use of resources by transitioning to a clean and circular economy, and to prevent pollution by restoring biodiversity. This plan outlines the investments needed and the available financing tools, while also explaining how to ensure a just and inclusive transition. The European Union has a neutral climate target by 2050. In line with this, a European Climate Law proposal has been submitted to turn the said political commitment into a legal obligation. Stating that all sectors of the economy must take action to achieve the targeted results, EU Green Deal summarizes the initiatives that need to be taken as follows:
• Investing in environmentally friendly technologies
• Supporting industry renewal
• Providing cleaner, cheaper and healthier methods of private and public transportation
• Decarbonizing the energy sector
• Making buildings more energy efficient
• Working with international partners to develop universal environmental standards
The EU is also committed to providing financial support and technical assistance to the parties that will be most affected by the green economy transition, and it calls this the Fair Transition Mechanism. This support includes the mobilization of at least 100 billion Euros between 2021 and 2027 for the most affected regions.
How will Turkey be affected by the new order?
If Turkey can take advantage of this, it can create an opportunity for itself. In order for Turkey to continue its cooperation with the EU, it will have to comply with the standards established by the deal in many sectors such as agriculture, electronics and plastics. For this, it needs a solid roadmap. In the carbon regulation made according to EGD (European Green Deal) standards, it is predicted that there will be an average of 3% decrease in national income.
