Beşiktaş Municipality held a presentation meeting for the “Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan” (SECAP), which will be implemented in cooperation with Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Istanbul Energy Inc. During the meeting, detailed information about the action plan was shared.
The SECAP presentation, held on July 19 at the Beşiktaş Atatürk Culture and Arts Center, was attended by Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat, Beşiktaş Municipality Climate Change and Zero Waste Director Ali Osman Asılsoy, Istanbul Energy Inc. General Manager Yüksel Yalçın, and EU Project Team Leader for Energy Transformation Daiva Matoniene, along with municipal deputy mayors, department heads, and residents.
The plan aims to make cities resilient to climate change, involve all stakeholders in monitoring greenhouse gas reduction actions, improve energy efficiency in buildings and facilities, implement green transformation planning, develop energy management plans for emergencies, and raise environmental awareness.
Stakeholders of the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan include educational institutions, universities, district municipalities, energy supply companies, residents, NGOs, and the industry.
Speaking at the meeting, Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat stated: “We are facing the greatest existential crisis in our history. There will be people living on this planet after us. Some measures we take today may save the future. Recent crises such as pandemics, floods, storms, and heavy snowfalls have increasingly become a global challenge. As part of the problem, we must also be part of the solution. The situation is urgent, and we must act quickly. Today, we are setting a 40% emissions reduction target for Beylikdüzü by 2030. God willing, we will analyze these potential risks, share them with our stakeholders and the public, and move forward steadily towards our goal.”
Istanbul Energy Inc. General Manager Yüksel Yalçın gave a detailed presentation on SECAP, stating: “Since the Industrial Revolution in the 1760s, we have polluted the world together. Our predecessors, and now we, have contributed to this. We need to consider what kind of world our children and future generations will inherit. At this time, we must re-evaluate our understanding of waste management, energy consumption, and urbanization. Therefore, the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan is extremely important. SECAP is not just a responsibility of the government; it is a responsibility of society as a whole. It is a choice between a green future or a world with depleted resources. SECAP will turn this understanding into green action.”
Mayor Akpolat emphasized the urgency of addressing climate crises: “Over the past four years, events that once would have taken months or years to assess have become routine. Around the world, everyone is dealing with this issue. Beşiktaş Municipality has been the first to implement measures to neutralize its carbon footprint. In 2019, we modernized our waste management system, and with nearly 4,000 users, we continue this process rapidly.”
Akpolat also highlighted urban transformation and green spaces: “We have built 18 new parks, renovated 27 parks, and created parks in unused areas. We established Imar AŞ to manage building transformations and enforce environmental requirements on construction firms. Additionally, together with Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, we addressed infrastructure issues, including flood management, resolving 50-year-old problems. This is a long-term effort.”
Akpolat concluded: “The SECAP study we started with Istanbul Energy Inc. will begin with an 8-month analysis phase. Afterwards, we will develop a roadmap, implement the action plan, and demonstrate strong commitment. This commitment will come from the public sector, municipality, relevant ministries, universities, NGOs, and the community. All stakeholders will work together, including securing financing, to prevent the issue from becoming a global problem. Beşiktaş Municipality has been fulfilling its responsibilities since the start of its term.”
We are striving to implement energy investments and programs in line with sustainable, technological, and clean energy policies, primarily with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, as well as the public and private sectors.