WUF13: Türkiye urges shift from climate rhetoric to results

Türkiye has urged the international community to move beyond declarations and take concrete action on climate commitments, emphasizing the urgent need for resilient urban development and sustainable housing policies.

The call was made by Şevket Altug Taşdemir, Director of the State Development and Investment Bank of Türkiye (ILBANK) during the panel discussion held on the sidelines of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

“The international community must stop being satisfied with statements and move toward practical steps in the field of urban climate resilience. Building affordable and resilient housing is impossible without quality urban infrastructure — including water supply systems, waste management, and stormwater drainage,” Taşdemir said.

He noted that Türkiye’s experience rebuilding after the devastating 2023 earthquake could serve as a basis for broader international cooperation.

“Türkiye allocated more than $50 billion for housing reconstruction following the catastrophic 2023 earthquake, which affected 11 cities. State institutions have already built around 500,000 housing units, guided by the principle of ‘building back better,’” he stated.

Taşdemir stressed that the main lesson learned from the reconstruction process was not a lack of financial resources, but rather limited capacity in project preparation and implementation.

“ILBANK plans to use this experience to help develop practical international cooperation in the field of climate-resilient urban development,” he added.

By Vafa Guliyeva