Bağcılar Municipality Brainstorming Meeting

On April 26, 2022, Bağcılar Municipality (BB) hosted the EU4ETTR project for a brainstorming meeting aimed at exploring funding opportunities and developing project ideas for implementing the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP). The meeting brought together BB representatives and international experts to discuss how to develop projects aligned with European Union (EU) donor objectives. Information on funding programs such as IPA, Horizon Europe, and INTERREG was provided, and the challenges faced by Bağcılar Municipality in finding potential partners for these programs were addressed. Collaboration with universities for the Horizon Europe program was recommended, and the potential of the INTERREG program for strengthening cross-border cooperation was highlighted.

During the meeting, Bağcılar Municipality presented several project ideas, including the installation of a "dialogue in the dark" simulation to demonstrate the effects of climate change, placing energy cubes in parks or schools for electricity generation, and installing vertical wind turbines on buildings. These projects were evaluated for their potential to meet both local and international donor needs. Expert Mr. Grazulis suggested initially applying for grants to implement pilot projects and then seeking loans from institutions like the European Investment Bank for broader investments. The meeting concluded with an emphasis on the increased likelihood of finding donors and funding as Turkey draws closer to the EU, and the importance of aligning projects with EU funding regulations.