The information presented in these pages is based on the 2021 voluntary reporting of Türkiye, in line with the 'Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action'.
National circumstances relevant to adaptation actions
Turkey is surrounded by sea on three sides, extension of the mountains and diverse nature of the landscape result in significant differences in climatic conditions from one region to the other. In the coastal regions of Turkey, milder climate is experienced due to the influence of the sea, and continental climate characteristics are seen in the inner parts of Turkey.
The per capita GDP in 2016 was USD 10,883. Manufacturing industry had the highest contribution in GDP with 16.6% in 2016. It is followed by wholesale and retail trade with 11.4%, construction with 8.6%, real estate activities and 7.7%, transport and storage and 7.6% agriculture, forestry and fishing with 6.2%.
Item | Status | Links |
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National adaptation strategy (NAS) |
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National adaptation plan (NAP) |
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Sectoral adaptation plan (SAP) |
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Climate change impact and vulnerability assessment |
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Meteorological observations |
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Climate projections and services |
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Adaptation portals and platforms |
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Monitoring, reporting and evaluation (MRE) indicators and methodologies |
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Key reports and publications |
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National communication to the UNFCCC | ||
Governance regulation adaptation reporting |
Within the scope of the climate projections, the first stage of projection studies, RegCM4.3 regional climate model was run with the outcomes of three global models selected from the CMIP5 archive, which forms the basis of the 5th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 release scenarios to include the whole of Turkey. A total of 8 parameters and projections of 17 climate indices representing extreme conditions were selected in river basin scales in the whole country through model simulation, and the differences of the studied parameters until 2010 were calculated as seasonal and annual averages for 10 and 30-year periods based on the reference period accepted as the simulations of 1971-2000. 3 global climate model results with 10x10 km resolution were obtained for Turkey for the first time in this project.
Within the scope of the hydrologic projections, the second stage of the projection studies, the water potentials of all river basins in Turkey were calculated for the first time using the hydrologic model. The precipitation values were converted to river flow values by running hydrologic models with the outcomes of the climate models, and water potential modelling/ calculation study was conducted by taking into account the current situation of surface water and groundwater sources in all river basins and the estimated situation for projected periods.
Project Phase 5, CMIP5, and new generation concentration scenarios used in the IPCC 5th Assessment Report (Representative Concentration Pathways, RCP). Moderate radiative forcing (4.5W/m2) RCP4.5 scenarios and high radiative forcing (8.5W/m2) RCP8.5 scenarios were used for the years 2016-2099in the projection, and the climate projection model HadGEM2-ES developed by the Hadley Research Center of the UK Meteorological Office was produced by downscaling the global model results with the regional climate model system (The Regional Climate Model system, RegCM4).
The climate projections produced by the TSMS for a domain covering Turkey and its vicinity will be discussed in this section. Projections were produced based on RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. The scenarios used are also the most preferred scenarios in the IPCC 5th Assessment Report. The 1971-2000 period was selected as the reference period for the projections produced in 20 km resolution, and the years 2016-2099 were selected for the projections. The 2016-2099 projection range was studied in periods of 2016-2040, 2041-2070, 2071-2099.
The temperature averages of global models that were used within the scope of the CMIP5 on Turkey were compared to produce high-resolution regional projections for Turkey and its vicinity and to see the general characteristics of models’ climate change projections.
According to the average temperature comparison results of the global climate models for Turkey and its vicinity, it is observed that HadGEM, GFDL, and MPI global models are among the models that ideally represent the average temperature values in Turkey. According to the results of HadGEM, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) and Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPI) global model data used by the TSMS, the average temperatures achieved as a result of regional climate projections are consistent with global models (Turkish State Meteorological Service, 2015). Therefore, HadGEM, GFDL, and MPI global models were preferred in the TSMS’s studies to produce regional climate projections. In the evaluation, it is observed that the coldest model is INMCM4 and the warmest model is MIROC for RCP4.5 and RCP8.5.
As a result of the comparisons and investigations performed, the outcomes of 3 of the global models that produced appropriate results for Turkey and its vicinityunder CMIP5 (HadGEM2-ES, MPIESM-MR, and GFDL-ESM2M) were selected. Regional climate projections were obtained by using the downscaling method through these 3 models RegCM4 regional climate model. The TSMS produces results with 20 km resolution using the results of the global model HadGEM with 112.5 km resolution in the RegCM model.
Testing (parametrization) of the model is extremely important in terms of reflecting the observed climatic values closest in each grid. For example, humidity and temperature values in each grid affect the cloud formation, and the amounts of aerosol affect the amount of precipitation. Therefore, the result of a well-parameterized model will help decision-makers to take decisions on adaptation activities for climate change. For this purpose, parametrization tests were first performed by the TSMS, and then the model was run by selecting 4 different periods. The regional model takes the initial and boundary conditions from the global model and provides a transition from the low-resolution topography of the global model to a more detailed topography of the regional model. The region located between 27.00°-51.00° North latitudes and 5.00°-55.00° east longitudes was selected as the domain where the models would be run, in order to encompass the movement paths of air masses that affect Turkey. The first 3 grids in all directions (east, west, north, south) of the domain area were not taken into consideration to ignorethe regional climate model boundary conditions errors.
According to the observations and data of the Turkish State Meteorological Service (TSMS), temperatures increase while precipitation decreases during the summer months in Turkey. The TSMS determined the annual mean temperature value across Turkey as 13.2°C for the period between 1971 and 2000 and 13.5°C for the period between 1981 and 2010.
It was observed that the annual total precipitation increased in the North of Turkey while it showed a decreasing trend in the Aegean, Mediterranean and Southeastern Anatolia regions.
Observed climate hazards | Acute | Chronic |
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Temperature | ||
Wind | ||
Water | ||
Solid mass |
Key future climate hazards | Acute | Chronic |
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Temperature | ||
Wind | ||
Water | ||
Solid mass |
Key affected sectors
The Ministry of Environment and Urbanization (MoEU) is responsible for the formation and implementation of environmental policy in Turkey, and is also the focal point for the UNFCCC. In this context, climate change policies are determined and executed by Climate Change and Air Management Coordination Board (CCAMCB) under the coordination of the MoEU with the participation of relevant ministries and institutions.
Overview of institutional arrangements and governance at the national level
Overview of institutional arrangements and governance at the sub-national level (where “sub-national” refers to local and regional)
There are Local Climate Change Action Plans of some municipalities in Turkey. But, the climate change adaptation sections of the current plans are generally not strong. In order to develop the climate change adaptation parts of the Local Climate Change Action Plans and to spread them to all municipalities, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization supports municipalities in their studies and conducts various capacity building and support activities on climate change adaptation.
In scope of this project, also, vulnerability assessments will be conducted in priority areas of ecosystems, infrastructure, economic, social and cross-cutting issues at national and local levels.
In addition, a comprehensive platform will be prepared to ensure the flow of data related climate change between all stakeholders.
Selection of actions and (programmes of) measures
There are Local Climate Change Action Plans of some municipalities in Turkey. But, the climate change adaptation sections of the current plans are generally not strong. In order to develop the climate change adaptation parts of the Local Climate Change Action Plans and to spread them to all municipalities, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization supports municipalities in their studies and conducts various capacity building and support activities on climate change adaptation.
Water Resources:
Basin Protection Action Plans
River Basin Management Plans
Drinking, Domestic, and Industrial Water Supply Action Plan
Flood Risk Management Plans
Flood Action Plan
Sectoral Water Allocation Plans
Nitrate Action Plans
Agriculture and Food Security:
The Strategy of Fighting Agricultural Drought and Action Plan
Use of Water Effective in Agriculture Program Action Plan
Agricultural Insurance Law
The Combat Desertification National Strategy and Action Plan
Extreme Weather Events and Disasters
Turkey’s Disaster Management Strategy Paper and Action Plan
Turkey Disaster Risk Mitigation Plan
81 Provincial Disaster Response Plans and 26 Service Group Operation Plans
Flood Action Plan
Ecosystems and Biodiversity
National Biological Diversity Strategy and Action Plan
Nature and Biological Diversity Protection Law
Protected Areas and Climate Change National Strategy of Turkey
General Directorate of Forestry Strategic Plan
National Forestry Program
Wetland Management Plans
Species Protection Action Plans
Lakes and Wetlands Action Plan
Coastal Areas
Integrated Coastal Zone Plans
Health
National Program and Action Plan for Mitigating the Negative Impacts of Climate Change on Health
Settlement Areas and Tourism
Energy Efficiency Law
Building Energy Performance By-Law
By-Law for Preparation of Spatial Plans
Regional Development Strategies
Integrated Urban Development Strategy and Action Plan (KENTGES)
Turkey’s Tourism Strategy and Turkey’s Tourism Strategy and Action Plan