Çorlu is the largest district of Tekirdağ province. After Istanbul, Çorlu is the second largest settlement in Eastern Thrace (Turkey Thrace).
Çorlu, as a city characterized by its industrial activity and continuous population growth due to migration, is among the cities most affected by climate change. However, since they signed the Covenant of Mayors in July 2019, the municipality has intensified their efforts to minimize the adverse effects of climate change in the city. To further enhance their fight against climate change, they have developed their Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan with the participation of stakeholders, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% within their administrative boundaries by 2030 and adapt to the effects of climate change. As a municipality serving Çorlu, which bridges the past to the future with an approach that preserves the heritage left to them by history, their goal is to increase living comfort by combating climate change through their Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan. They also aim to raise awareness and promote energy efficiency and renewable energy use among their city residents for a happier and more sustainable life.
The target is to reduce the projected 2,153,903 tCO2e emissions for 2030 by 40.4% to reach 1,283,698 tCO2e through thirty identified actions in energy efficiency, transportation, and waste management sectors. Sixteen actions focus on the energy sector, which has the largest impact on emissions, while seven actions address transportation and another seven focus on waste management.
Çorlu district has identified two primary objectives based on climate adaptation analyses:
Objective 1: Ensuring risk management in disasters caused by climate change and reducing the physical impacts of climate change.
Objective 2: Increasing awareness of socio-economic structures regarding climate change and its effects to enhance social and economic resilience.
Under these objectives, specific goals have been set, each supported by defined actions:
Goal 1.1: Enhancing resilience of Çorlu district against floods and inundations caused by climate change.
- Action 1.1.1: Making urban infrastructure flood-resistant.
- Action 1.1.2: Promoting rainwater collection systems and leading municipal buildings in this initiative.
- Action 1.1.3: Transitioning to permeable surfaces in pedestrianized areas, especially in urban centers.
- Action 1.1.4: Using permeable surfaces in parking areas.
- Action 1.1.6: Identifying and transforming buildings in flood-prone areas.
- Action 1.1.7: Designating disaster gathering areas for residential areas lacking access to disaster gathering locations.
Goal 1.2: Increasing Çorlu district's resilience against extreme temperatures caused by climate change, enhancing the quality of green spaces, and ensuring urban natural cooling.
These measures aim to mitigate the impacts of climate change and improve overall urban resilience in Çorlu.