İstanbul is the most populous city in Türkiye and Europe. It straddles both sides of the Istanbul Strait, connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. As of 2019, Istanbul's population is 15,519,267, and it is estimated to surpass 17 million by 2030. The city serves as the center of the country's commercial, historical, and cultural activities. Istanbul is a major hub for trade, banking and finance, manufacturing, media and entertainment, and tourism. It hosts the headquarters of the country's largest banks and serves as the headquarters for many foreign banks as well.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Reports, Türkiye is located in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, which is one of the regions sensitive to climate change. According to the annual average temperature projections presented in the IPCC's 5th Assessment Report, increases are anticipated across all scenarios and throughout the period (2016 - 2100) in Türkiye.
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) is the public institution responsible for municipal services in Istanbul province. IMM's jurisdiction covers 35% (1869 km²) of Istanbul's total area on the Anatolian side and 65% (3474 km²) on the European side.
Istanbul, deeply aware of the vulnerabilities posed by climate change and a signatory to the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM), has committed through Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. To achieve this goal, IMM has undertaken to prepare and implement a Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP). SECAP outlines activities and measures aimed at achieving this target, focusing primarily on key sectors such as buildings, equipment/facilities, urban transportation, and waste management in the fight against climate change.
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) has developed its corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission inventory based on energy consumption data from all municipal activities. The corporate GHG emission inventory includes administrative buildings of the municipality, as well as the activities of subsidiaries and affiliated organizations. The Basic Emissions Inventory (BEI) was developed through an activity-based approach, calculating CO2e emissions for the reference year 2019. Emission calculations across various sectors at the city level reveal that Istanbul's total GHG emissions amount to approximately 50.89 MtCO2e. The stationary energy sector accounts for the majority of emissions in Istanbul, comprising 63% of all emissions. Within this sector, residential buildings contribute the most (44.17%). The transportation sector is responsible for 28.3% of total emissions, predominantly from road transport (99%). Managed through ISTAÇ and İSKİ by IMM, the waste and wastewater sector represents the remaining 8.8% of emissions in Istanbul, with solid waste disposal accounting for the majority (89%) of this sector's emissions. Analysis indicates that IMM's corporate GHG emissions (1.54 MtCO2e) constitute 3% of the city's total emissions. The primary sources of corporate emissions are the service facilities and corporate buildings of IMM-affiliated companies and organizations (54.13%).
As a summary of the studies conducted to assess risks, vulnerabilities, and determine adaptation actions, priority has been given to a series of adaptation measures for the identified vulnerabilities in Istanbul province.
The challenges identified through vulnerability assessments across Istanbul may not all be immediately solvable due to technical and budgetary constraints citywide. Therefore, to address extreme climate events, system vulnerabilities, and Istanbul's exposure levels, the Climate Action Plan has outlined the development of city vulnerability maps. These maps aim to pinpoint areas where climate change impacts are most concentrated and highlight the most sensitive points. Based on these sensitive areas, potential feasible adaptation actions have been identified and subsequently tailored to the city's specific characteristics.
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), as a member of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, committed to the Deadline 2020 pledge under the leadership of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, aiming for Istanbul to become a carbon-neutral and resilient city by 2050. In alignment with this new objective, the revision process of the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) prepared in 2018 commenced, leading to the publication of the revised Istanbul Climate Change Action Plan (I-CCAP) in 2021. This local I-CCAP summarizes the necessary steps the city must take to combat climate change comprehensively. The SECAP presented in this report is designed to complement the I-CCAP, focusing on measures related to transportation, IMM buildings, facilities, and subsidiaries/companies, emphasizing sustainable energy and climate actions. The greenhouse gas emission inventory, risk and vulnerability assessments, and defined targets are tailored to local conditions and reflect IMM's activities, capacities, and legal framework.
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), recognized as a pivotal actor in Türkiye's urban landscape, has made significant strides in environmental protection and sustainable energy initiatives. Through the EU4ETTR project, IMM has developed and implemented a robust Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP). This plan not only outlines ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions but also integrates strategies to enhance energy efficiency across various sectors of the city's infrastructure. IMM's approach is characterized by its inclusive engagement of local stakeholders, ensuring that community needs and aspirations are embedded in their environmental policies. By focusing on resilience-building measures against climate change impacts, IMM is shaping Istanbul into a more resilient and sustainable metropolis.
IMM's SECAP has been prepared under the coordination of the Directorate of Climate Change Environmental Protection and Development Department, in partnership with the Energy Management and Lighting Department of the IMM Parks, Gardens, and Green Areas Directorate. Additionally, technical support has been provided by the Central Project Management Agency (CPMA) from Lithuania.
The goal of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is to make Istanbul a carbon-neutral and climate-resilient city by 2050. The Istanbul Climate Change Action Plan has been prepared in line with this goal. As a signatory of the European Union “Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission”, Istanbul has declared its goodwill to bring the climate-neutral target from 2050 to 2030 and continues all its work in line with this goal.