On January 16th and 17th, 2025, a two-day workshop was held in Istanbul to enhance collaboration between the Covenant of Mayors Türkiye[1] (CoM Türkiye) and the Covenant of Mayors Mediterranean (CoM Med). The event focused on advancing climate action and energy transition strategies across the region, providing a platform for sharing knowledge, experiences, and resources to tackle common climate challenges and ensure a sustainable energy future.

Opening Session

The workshop was inaugurated with an opening speech by Ms Daiva Matonienė, EU4ETTR Türkiye Team Leader and Mr Naguib Amin, CoM Med and Clima-Med Team Leader. Both speakers introduced the workshop’s objectives, outlining the expected results, which included fostering deeper cooperation opportunities between the two regions and identifying synergies to enhance the impact of their climate actions and energy transition efforts.

Presentations:

The first day featured presentations from several experts, each providing valuable insights into different aspects of climate change and energy transition efforts:

• Arda Deniz Aksular from Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented Türkiye’s international climate priorities and development programs, which are designed to address climate challenges and promote sustainable growth.

 

 

 

 

• Nadya Boneva, representing the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM), provided a comprehensive presentation on the GCoM’s actions, emphasizing the various funding opportunities available for local governments to implement climate and energy projects.
• Tuncer Demir, CoM Türkiye national expert, delivered an in-depth overview of Türkiye’s climate change scenarios, regional risks, and vulnerabilities. He also discussed adaptation practices being employed to mitigate the impacts of climate change in Türkiye.
• Daiva Matonienė introduced the Türkiye MLGP4 Climate Platform detailing the tools, materials, and lessons learned from its implementation. She also highlighted areas of potential cooperation between the two regions.
• Naguib Amin presented Clima-Med’s tools and results, discussing lessons learned and opportunities for cooperation to strengthen climate actions in the Mediterranean region.
• Ms Myriam Makdissi, Clima-Med and CoM Med’s Communication Expert, highlighted the importance of strengthening communication for CoM Med and its strategies to mobilise climate action through effective communication tools and guidelines.
• Oussama Kaassamani, Clima-Med’s key expert, presented the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SEACAP) Guidebook, detailing how technical assistance can be tailored to meet the specific needs of municipalities in the region.

 

 

Interactive Discussion Session

The second part of the first day was dedicated to an interactive discussion session moderated by Mr. Abdulvahap Sevim – Business Development Specialist, Project Coordinator, where participants engaged in a SWOT and PEST analysis to identify challenges and explore potential synergies between CoM Türkiye and CoM Med.

Key topics included:

• Strengthening the roles of CoM Türkiye and CoM Med through joint efforts.

• Sharing best practices, tools, and methodologies to accelerate energy transitions.
• Cooperating to address common climate risks and vulnerabilities in the region and ensuring a more coordinated regional response.

The session concluded with a consensus on the need for further collaboration to tackle the impacts of climate change through mutual support and coordinated actions.

Closing Remarks and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

The workshop concluded with closing remarks emphasizing the importance of continued dialogue and cooperation. It was agreed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would be signed between CoM Türkiye and CoM Med to formalize the commitment to joint efforts in climate action and energy transition.

 

Objectives of the Cooperation

The MoU outlines a shared framework for cooperation between the two Covenants, with the goal of:

• Supporting local governments through shared resources, knowledge, and innovative solutions.
• Accelerating the implementation of Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs) and ensuring more effective access to EU funding opportunities.

The MoU includes the following specific objectives:

• Consolidation of CoM Türkiye and CoM Med: Strengthening the participation and engagement of municipalities in global climate actions.
• Exchange of Best Practices: Facilitating the sharing of methodologies and experiences between regions to improve climate and energy outcomes.
• Support Joint Initiatives for Funding: Promoting collaborative efforts to secure funding and enhance local capacity for sustainable energy and climate actions.
• Development of New Collaboration Opportunities: Identifying and developing fresh opportunities for joint projects, especially in implementing and monitoring SECAPs.
• Enhance Communication and Visibility: Strengthening the communication and visibility of regional covenants, ensuring more significant impact and outreach for local climate actions.

Visit to Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality

On the second day of the workshop, the teams visited Prof. Aysen Erdincler, Head of the Department of Environmental Protection and Development at Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM). With a population exceeding 16 million, Istanbul is the most populous city in Türkiye and Europe. As a member of the Global Covenant of Mayors, the city is committed to becoming climate-neutral and resilient by 2050.

 

 

Prof. Erdincler provided an overview of Istanbul’s climate action initiatives, particularly its Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SECAP). She discussed the governance challenges in implementing climate policies and the need for integrated, multi-level action to achieve long-term climate goals. She emphasized that the green transition is a collective responsibility requiring engagement from all sectors of society, not just municipal or industrial stakeholders.

Istanbul’s climate strategy emphasizes waste management, effective waste collection systems, and green development investments to create a more sustainable future for the city.

 

Conclusion: The MoU, A Step Towards Deeper Collaboration

The two-day workshop culminated in signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CoM Türkiye and CoM Med. This agreement represents a significant step toward deepening cooperation in the Mediterranean region and Türkiye. It paves the way for joint efforts to enhance climate resilience, promote sustainable energy practices, and accelerate the energy transition across municipalities in both regions.

 

CoM Türkiye and CoM Med are committed to working together to achieve shared climate goals, foster stronger local government participation in global climate actions, and advance the transition to a low-carbon and sustainable energy future.

 

[1]  CoM Türkiye is developed by EU project “EU4Energy Transition: Covenant of Mayors in the Western Balkans and Türkiye“ ( EU4ETR) This Multi Donor Action is jointly co-financed by EU and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.