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4.32.   Climate and more generally environmental sustainability policies that countries implement within their own national conditions form part of the global efforts to achieve climate goals. Trade is becoming an important component in combatting climate change and protecting the environment.

4.34.   Türkiye included environmental sustainability in its 11th Development Plan encompassing the years between 2019-2023, thus, launched a "Green Development Revolution". Türkiye ratified the Paris Agreement in 2021 and set its net zero emission target as 2053. (...)

4.35.   In order to draw the legal framework of all these efforts, Türkiye started to work on its Climate Law including a carbon pricing mechanism. In addition, Türkiye prepared the Green Deal Action Plan, to support green transformation designed in alignment with the European Green Deal.

4.36.   Türkiye also very closely follows and contributes to the discussions on climate policy and trade at the WTO. Within this framework, besides in the relevant WTO Committees, Türkiye actively participates and contributes to the discussions within the scope of Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD). Trade aspects of explicit and implicit carbon pricing, determining internationally accepted carbon standards and methodologies for the measurement of embedded emissions of traded goods, other non-price climate measures, working on a common understanding in identifying Environmental Goods and Services, trade and circular economy, and assessing potential environmental impact of subsidies are major areas the discussions are focusing. (...)

4.37.   In these discussions, it is particularly important for Türkiye that countries' different circumstances are taken into consideration and rules and principles of the international environmental agreements as well as the WTO are respected in determining environmental policies that have trade effect.

4.66.   With the update of the FTA, chapters on services trade, trade and sustainable development and trade facilitation are included and the provisions on intellectual property rights and dispute settlement are expanded in the FTA. (...)

4.74.   Cognizant of the significance of climate change, Türkiye has accelerated its efforts in green transformation in the past few years.

4.75.   Türkiye launched "Green Development Revolution" and ratified the Paris Agreement on 6 October 2021, setting the target of net zero emission by 2053.

4.76.   Türkiye declared its renewed nationally determined contribution (NDC) at COP27 in 2022. According to the new NDC, the previously set emissions reduction target of 21% has been changed to 41% from business as usual by 2030.

4.77.   Moreover, the First Climate Council was held in February 2022 by Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change with broad participation of representatives.