Selin ARSLAN
Greenhouse Gas Verification Specialist / CPC Belgelendirme
The effects of the ongoing climate change in the world, while natural disasters such as drought, epidemics, floods, drag the universe towards an irreversible path for its future, and force human beings to take precautions against climate change. It is a matter of curiosity for all of us how Turkey has adapted to many steps taken in the international context, which started with the BMM Framework Convention on Climate Change years ago. Many projects such as the Green Reconciliation Action Plan and the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan, which are on the agenda, and the developments within the scope of these projects continue.
Why TS EN ISO14064-1 and 14067 Certıfıcatıon
The bill regarding the approval of the Paris Agreement signed in 2015 on the mitigation, adaptation and financing of climate change within the scope of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the first intergovernmental environmental agreement on global warming, signed under the leadership of the United Nations, was voted in the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. It was accepted unanimously and published in the Official Gazette and entered into force on 10.11.2021. As of March 2021, 191 members of the UNFCCC are parties to the agreement, and as of October 2021, Turkey has taken its place among these countries. So, what does the Paris Agreement bring with it? In line with the aim of mitigating the effects of climate change, countries that have ratified the Paris agreement are required to limit the global temperature increase to 2 °C or even 1.5 °C from pre-industrial levels and fulfill their commitments to limit greenhouse gas emissions until 2050. This agreement requires countries to submit their national declarations of contribution. If you ask, what does this situation, which is on the agenda all over the world, mean for Turkey; Turkey ranks 16th among the countries that cause greenhouse gas emissions and is responsible for 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Turkey has previously made a commitment to the UN Secretariat to reduce its emission increase by 21% by 2030. This target was determined before the Paris Agreement was passed by the parliament and it is thought that the Paris Agreement will be insufficient for the 2050 targets. With the Paris agreement passed by the parliament in the past few days, it is planned that Turkey will update its national contribution statements containing emission reduction targets and submit it to the UN Secretariat. The situation shows that many issues such as incentives for renewable energy and energy saving will gain importance in Turkey.
In addition, the European Union (EU) countries created a memorandum of understanding called the European Green Consensus, which aims to be the First Carbon Neutral Continent, in order to fulfill the Paris Agreement requirements signed in 2015 and even make more commitments. He announced that he would adopt a new growth strategy that requires the transformation of the industry by 2050, within the scope of this agreement, which he formed with the European Green Consensus, with the targets of Raising the EU 2030 Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Target (55%), and the Review of All Policy Instruments. As a result of these developments, Turkey has prepared the “Green Reconciliation Action Plan” in cooperation with all relevant public and private sector institutions, with the aim of determining the steps to be taken in 2021 within the scope of the European Green Deal announced by the EU on 11 December 2019. In Turkey’s Green Reconciliation Action Plan, (1) border carbon regulations, (2) a green and circular economy, (3) green finance, (4) clean, economical and secure energy supply, (5) sustainable agriculture, (6 ) sustainable smart transportation, (7) combating climate change, (8) diplomacy, and (9) European Green Deal information and awareness-raising activities.
The Carbon at the Border Regulation, one of the most important packages announced within the scope of the European Green Deal, was published by the European Commission on 14 July 2021. Its main purpose is to determine the import price for selected sectors, taking into account the carbon content of the goods. It is recommended by the Commission that the implementation be started with a transition period of 3 years as of January 1, 2023, which does not impose any financial obligations, and the obligation to report the emissions of the facilities in this process is recommended. In fact, it is envisaged that SKDM will be built in parallel with the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). SKDM is a product-based program and currently covers the electricity, iron-steel, aluminum, fertilizer and cement sectors. It plans to eliminate free allowances and carbon leakage. The produced certificates are planned as a program that requires the purchase of the emission amount calculated by the exporters, and the details of the program have not been disclosed yet. Although emissions that will be subject to financial liability after 2026 are currently discussed as embedded emissions, it is foreseen that sectors and scopes will be expanded after the transition period. At this point, it is of great importance for the producer to have his emissions calculated and even to start preparations for emission reduction so that he can maintain his position in Europe in exports and that future obligations will not affect producer. Although it does not serve the SKDM mechanism 100%, manufacturers create TS EN ISO 14064-1 or TS EN ISO 14067 inventories because they want to have information about the emissions of the products they produce and how much this system will cost, and even have these inventories verified by the verifiers.
What ıs green oız?
Under the Green and Circular Economy title of the agreement, the aim of completing the studies for the implementation of Green OIZs and Green Industrial Zones in terms of developing the green transformation of our country’s industry is included in the action plan. In this context, 4 OIZs were determined in the first phase in order to determine the sustainability potentials of OIZs in Turkey and to prepare a general framework. These are Ankara Chamber of Industry 1st OIZ (ASO – 1), Bursa OIZ, Izmir Atatürk OIZ, Adana Haci Sabanci OIZ. According to the conditions determined by these OIZs, OIZs must go through a pre-qualification stage. For this, there are 12 criteria that must be met. These 12 criteria are: Establishing an established OIZ management, Monitoring performance indicators, Preparing the green transformation plan, Creating the master plan and reviewing it periodically, revising it when necessary, Preparing a plan that evaluates the environmental impacts, Creating a plan for industrial symbiosis applications, infrastructure and establishment To have at least one of the ISO 50001 Energy, ISO 14001 Environment or ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System certificates, to have at least one of the social facilities such as hospitals, nurseries, vocational training buildings, first aid centers, etc. in and / or around the OIZ, Preparation of a plan detailing the use of renewable energy within the scope of the Green OIZ project, planning various activities that inform about the Green OIZ certification system and increase the awareness of employees and companies, supporting SMEs that contribute to OIZ studies, and It is the creation and publication of annual reports containing information about the green performance of the OIZ, such as the corporate sustainability reports it prepares.
Should the water footprınt be calculated? what ıs eco label?
One of the studies planned to be carried out in Turkey under a different heading of Green and Circular Economy is to evaluate the “water footprints”, to ensure efficient use of water and to make the right decisions regarding fair water allocation for water-using sectors and environmental water use. In this context, it is aimed to carry out sectoral water footprint studies on a basin basis, to integrate the water footprint into the sectoral water allocation plans, and as a result, to prepare a “guideline document on water footprint”. Until this guide document is prepared, manufacturers prepare for the process by creating TS EN ISO 14046 Water Footprint Inventory Reports. Another important issue covered under this title is that will promote energy efficiency, waste minimization and product management, protect the environment and human health, provide resource savings and open up to additional markets, increase awareness in the use and consumption of environmentally friendly and human health products, and – In addition to the studies for the dissemination of the National Environmental Label System, which was prepared by taking into account the Label Directives, it is also aimed to raise the awareness of enterprises, especially SMEs, about the environmental label and waste management. The general framework of eco-label practices in Turkey is the Environmental Label Regulation published by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization in 2018. In this context, the institution related to eco-label studies in Turkey is the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. In order to obtain an eco label, institutions apply to the Ministry when they think that their products, services or systems meet the necessary conditions and have the necessary documents on this subject ready. As a result of the evaluations made by the Ministry, when it is decided that the area to be applied meets the necessary conditions for the eco label, certification is made.
Is TS EN ISO 50001 certıfıcatıon requıred?
The National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (2017-2023) was published in the Official Gazette dated 02/01/2018 and numbered 30289 with the approval of the High Planning Council dated 29/12/2017 and entered into force. Within the scope of the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan to be implemented between 2017-2023, it is aimed to reduce Turkey’s primary energy consumption by 14% in 2023 with 55 actions defined in 6 categories, including buildings and services, energy, transportation, industry and technology, agriculture and horizontal issues. In addition, our country will increase the use of domestic and renewable energy sources and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
One of the important steps that serves the TS EN ISO 5001 Action Plan is a document that provides energy savings and reduced costs by increasing operational efficiency. TS EN ISO 50001 certificate is applicable to public buildings, commercial and service buildings, electricity generation facilities, which are obliged to appoint energy managers, within the scope of the “Regulation on the Amendment of the Regulation on Increasing the Efficiency in the Use of Energy Resources and Energy” published by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources on 25.01.2020 in the Official Gazette. It has been made compulsory for industrial enterprises and organized industrial zones and industrial enterprises responsible for establishing an energy management unit. In addition, industrial enterprises that want to benefit from productivity-enhancing project supports should obtain the TS EN ISO 50001 Energy Management System Certificate from Certification Companies accredited by the Turkish Accreditation Agency (TÜRKAK).
There are these and many similar steps that Turkey has taken for a green future, and these steps are still not enough to minimize the effects of climate change. In this context, we all have many duties. As the CPC family, we try to do our part by providing certification services in many areas mentioned in this text, without any commercial concerns and with community awareness.
