UNDP Türkiye is responsible for the efficient and effective implementation of the project through the Contribution Agreement concluded with the General Directorate of European Union and Foreign Relations - Department of European Union and Financial Assistance under MoEU acting as the Contracting Authority on behalf of the EU. General Directorate of Environmental Management is the End Recipient of the Project.

The overall objective of the project is set as “building societal resilience by strengthening climate change adaptation, particularly at sector and urban level” while the specific purpose is to establish an enabling environment for climate change adaptation in Turkey by developing the policy, technical and operational baselines, including

• better decision-making tools for national climate change adaptation policies,
• urban adaptation planning solutions (urban adaptation strategies and action plans)
• capacity building and networking activities for climate change adaptation with the EU and the international community, and
• a climate change adaptation grant programme to implement climate change adaptation action.

The backbone of the project is based on three main components:

Component 1 – The “adaptation toolbox”: decision-making tools for climate-resilient sustainable development that aims to improve the decision-making process at the central level so that (i) there is an updated national strategy and action plan for climate change adaptation, (ii) planning and investment decisions considering climate change adaptation for five priority sectors, and (iii) there are clear climate financing and impact assessment tools to support implementation.

Component 2 – The “Solution Catalog for Cities”: climate knowledge and adaptation planning for cities that aims  to strengthen urban adaptation planning capacity so that (i) four pilot cities have their climate change adaptation action plan with means to mainstream it with urban governance, (ii) there is a typology framework that allows similar cities to exchange expertise and knowledge between themselves, and (iii) there are clear climate financing and impact assessment tools to support implementation.

Component 3 – The “network”: build capacity through trainings and networking aims to build a “network” among national institutions and with EU centres so that (i) there are more productive collaborations between Turkish stakeholders from the public, private, academia and civil society, (ii) a greater number of Turkish cities become members of European urban networks, (iii) there are closer ties between EU and Turkish research and expert institutions, (iv) there are trainings to further support the climate change adaptation experts in Türkiye, and (iv) the grant component receives adequate technical support during design, implementation, and evaluation.

The project target groups are the relevant public institutions, local governments and municipalities, regional and provincial directorates, regional development agencies, chambers, unions, professional and business organizations, universities, research institutes, and civil society organizations. The target groups of the operation include all relevant non-state stakeholders and citizens.

Ministry of Environment,  Urbanization and Climate Change

Tuğba DİNÇBAŞ-Deputy Chair

Emine ÇELEBİOĞLU-Climate Change Expert

Neslihan AĞARTAN-Climate Change Expert

Ömer ÖZTÜRK-Climate Change Expert

Esra İNCE-Unit Head

Zülfiye Sacide YILDIZ-Landscape Architect

Aygün AKTAŞ ACAR-Economist

Merve GÜREŞ-Urban Planner

Fatma TOK-Urban Planner

Berna YİĞİT-Environment Engineer

Yunus Emre AYTAN-Agricultural Engineer

Nur ÖZTÜRK-Civil Engineer

Erdoğan KARACA-Climate Change Expert

UNDP Turkey

Diren ERTEKİN - Project Manager

Ömer ÖZTÜRK - Grant Manager

Kemal YEŞİL - Project Associate

Seçil YILMAZER - Project Associate

Burcu UYSAL - Project Assistant

Merve ELİBİRLİK-Communication Assistant