Türkiye urges global community to move from climate declarations to real action

Türkiye insists on shifting from climate commitments on paper to practical implementation, Şevket Altuğ Taşdemir, Director of the State Development and Investment Bank of Türkiye (ILBANK), said during a panel session at the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.

According to Taşdemir, the international community must stop relying solely on declarations and take concrete steps to strengthen urban climate resilience: "The time has come to move beyond statements. Building affordable and sustainable housing is impossible without quality urban infrastructure - water supply, waste management, and stormwater drainage systems."

The director added that Türkiye's post-earthquake recovery experience in 2023 will serve as a foundation for international partnership: "After the devastating earthquake that affected 11 cities, Türkiye allocated more than $50 billion for housing reconstruction. Nearly 500,000 housing units have already been built under the principle of 'building back better.'"

He stressed that the main lesson learned was not a shortage of financial resources but limited capacity in project preparation and implementation: "ILBANK plans to use this experience to foster practical international cooperation in climate-resilient urban development."