Mersin is a port city located in the Mediterranean Region of Turkey. Mersin Port is among Turkey's largest ports. The city is known for its tourism, industry, agriculture, and maritime activities.
Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, located in southern Turkey along the Mediterranean coast, plays a pivotal role in the region's economic, cultural, and environmental landscape. As a major port city and a hub of trade, Mersin is known for its vibrant agricultural sector, historical richness, and strategic importance in transportation and logistics. In recent years, the municipality has increasingly focused on sustainability and environmental stewardship, aligning its efforts with national and international agendas on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Through initiatives such as urban planning reforms, renewable energy projects, and waste management improvements, Mersin Municipality strives to enhance quality of life for its residents while safeguarding its natural resources for future generations.
Mersin Metropolitan Municipality initiated the "Mersin Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP)" project in June 2022 in collaboration with TÜBİTAK-MAM. The primary objective of the action plan is to prepare SECAP for Mersin city by considering existing national and local climate policies, strategic documents, meteorological and climatic data sets, and relevant historical and projected data. The scope of the action plan includes identifying greenhouse gas emission sources, preparing emission inventories, projecting scenario-based emission reductions for selected areas such as residential buildings, heating, transportation, and waste production, and conducting impact and risk analyses. As part of the SECAP, the Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory for Mersin Province was updated in June 2023 to cover the years 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Based on the project following the GPC protocol (Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventories), it was determined that 45% of greenhouse gas emissions originate from point sources, primarily residential and service buildings. The second and third highest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 24% and 22% respectively, are transportation and industrial processes and products. Population projections, industrial development, and economic indicators were used to calculate greenhouse gas emission projections up to 2055, incorporating sectoral emission reduction scenarios, impacts, risks, and adaptation measures. The SECAP, comprising reduction and adaptation actions, was finalized in December 2023.
Cities with high population, production, and consumption also experience elevated levels of pollutants that exacerbate climate change. The greenhouse gas emission inventory encompasses all significant emissions occurring within the geopolitical and operational boundaries of local governments. Therefore, the role of local governments in combating climate change is increasingly crucial. Mersin Metropolitan Municipality has demonstrated their commitment to this cause by joining international organizations such as ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability) and GCoM (Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy). To quantify greenhouse gas emissions within Mersin's borders, the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality's Department of Climate Change and Zero Waste collaborated with TUBITAK Marmara Research Center and the Vice Presidency of Climate Change and Sustainability to prepare a "Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report" following international standards and protocols. They have taken significant steps toward climate adaptation through collaborative efforts on the "Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan," focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and implementing climate adaptation measures. For a sustainable future and a greener world, it is imperative to reduce carbon emissions in transportation, energy, services, and construction sectors, while prioritizing activities aligned with environmental standards to mitigate climate change impacts. This initiative aims to contribute to national, regional, and urban climate policies, advancing collective goals for a sustainable future.