A-General Result
Table-1: With every increment of global warming, changes get larger in regional mean temperature,
precipitation and soil moisture (IPCC, 2021)
As seen in Table-1, if the annual average temperature change reaches 4 degrees, it has been
observed that there will be problems related to life in the world.
Table- 2 : Sectoral split of climate finance provided and mobilised (OECD, 2022)
In order to mitigate the effects of Climate Change, as observed in Table-2, the energy field takes the largest share in international financial support with 34%.
Table- 3 Thematic split of climate finance provided and mobilised (USD billion) (OECD, 2022)
There are many different attitudes in the fight against climate change. As can be seen in Table-3, the highest increase in support for living in harmony with the climate crisis rose to 20.1% in 2019
Tablo- 4: Public climate finance per instrument, excluding export credits (USD billion) (OECD, 2022)
According to Table 4, an increase of 1 unit was observed in climate finance between 2018 and 2019
Tablo- 5: Regional split of climate finance provided and mobilised (2016-19, annual average)
According to Table 5, 43% of the climate finance provided and mobilized was made to Asia
Table - 6 Global EV Stock by Vehicle Type and Scenario, 2020-2030 (“Global EV Outlook 2021”, 2021)
It has been observed that Buses-BEV and Buses-PHEV should be increased in the studies of sustainable development scenarios of climate change. It has been observed that the share of electric buses among these targets is very low, even in total electric vehicles.
Table- 7: CO2 Emissions - Turkey (Data, 2020)
According to Table 7, while Turkey had the highest CO2 emission with 5.24t in 2017, it was observed that it decreased to 4.66t in 2020.
B) Izmir Result
Table- 8: Izmir's 2018 Baseline Emissions Inventory (Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, 2020)
According to Table-8, the highest greenhouse gas emissions in 2018 were from industry with 42%. Other The sources of greenhouse gas emissions are followed by transportation with 16.3% and housing with 12.5%.
Table- 9: Institutional Emission Inventory of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality (Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, 2020)
According to Izmir’s corporate inventory, the most emission source is public transport with 50.7%.
Table- 10: Beneficiaries of some of the corporate greenhouse gas purchases of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality (Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, 2016)
As seen in Table-8, 99% of the emissions of ESHOT, which represents 31% of T-total municipalities and subsidiaries, is used in public transportation. due to buses.
Table-11: The sale price comparison of hybrid-electrical buses between the years 2016-2021
Year
|
Hybrid-electrical bus number
|
Budget
|
Exchange rate differences
|
EURO
|
TL
|
2016
|
20
|
8.8 Million Euro
|
28,952,000
|
3.29
|
2021
|
20
|
12.5 Million Euro
|
194,250,000
|
15.54
|
According to the data, it was observed that the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality bought 20 12-meter hybrid electric buses from the company "Bozankaya" in the tender held in 2016. Even if the company manufactures its buses in Turkey, it imports the bus's components and parts. For this reason, it was observed that electric bus prices increased 6 times in 2021. In the news published on the official website of the General Directorate of ESHOT on 14.06.2016, it was observed that there was a target of purchasing 400 electric vehicles in 3 years. (Eshot, 2016)
Table-12: Data on diesel and electric buses from Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Bus Enterprise ESHOT
General Directorate (Electric Water Gas Bus and Trolleybus).
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
Number of vehicles
|
1,510
|
1,560
|
1,570
|
1,790
|
Annual Total Fuel Consumption - Diesel (Liters)
|
51,422,681
|
50,332,831
|
42,783,277
|
45,533,346
|
Annual Total Electricity Consumption (For Electric Vehicles Charging) - Electricity (KWh)
|
65,212
|
63,845
|
55,096
|
54,375
|
Annual Distance Traveled - Diesel Bus (km)
|
93,514,127
|
89,954,600
|
76,685,459
|
88,623,425
|
Annual Distance Traveled- Electric Bus (km)
|
48,856
|
47,424
|
42,837
|
37,760
|
Annual Emissions (km)- Diesel Bus (km)
|
133,699
|
130,865
|
111,237
|
118,387
|
Annual Emissions (km)- Electric Bus (km)
|
42
|
41
|
36
|
35
|
1 lt Fuel Cost- Diesel (TL)
|
4.9603
|
5.5406
|
5.203
|
6.4651
|
With the increase in the number of hybrid-electric buses, the annual emission showed a decrease. Because fuel oil cost is euro-denominated, there is a dramatic increase in the expenses. With the expanding use of hybrid electrical buses the annual consumption showed a notable decrease.
Interviews
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality's Climate Change and Environmental Conservation Department's personnels
Which precautions are being taken against the climate crisis?
" As Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, we are aware of how devastating and threatening climate crisis is. That's why Izmir Metropolitan Municipality has established this department. We created three different action plans which are "Izmir Green City Action Plan", "Izmir Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan" and "İzmir's Strategy for Living in Harmony With Nature".
Furthermore, Izmir to become the first city, which entered the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Green Cities Program of Turkey. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, which received a 300.000 Euro from the EBRD, identified actions, including water, biodiversity, air, soil, and climate change issues with Green City Action Plan, which was prepared for the first time in Izmir. With the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan, greenhouse gas reduction and climate adaptation actions were determined. The strategies and actions of the three plans were also harmonized. In both plans, 61 actions were taken in the sectors of land use, waste management, buildings, environment and biodiversity, energy, public health, civil defense and emergency, water management, agriculture and forestry, tourism, and transportation.
Aiming to make Izmir resilient by adapting to the effects of the climate crisis with these three action plans, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality has renewed its commitment to reduce greenhouse gases by 20 percent by 2020 and reducing greenhouse gases by 40 percent by 2030 in 2019 with the decision of the parliament. "
Can you give us more information about the commitment to reducing greenhouse gases?
"As of 2018, İzmir's greenhouse gas emissions is 14,319,706 ton CO2 per year and 3.31 ton CO2 per person. According to the scenario where everything continues as the same, in 2030 Izmir's greenhouse gas emissions will be 17,691,125 tons CO2 per year and 3.51 tons CO2. With some measures for reduction, our goal is the reduce the greenhouse gas emission of 17,7 million tons of CO2 to 9,973,640 million tons CO2 per year which is a 7,17,485 ton CO2 (%40) decrease and 3.51 ton CO2 to 1.98 ton CO2e per person. If we achieve our goal it will be a big success of course but unfortunately, it is not enough. Our main goal is zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. With these reductions, there will be hope for our future. Otherwise, with today's greenhouse gas emission numbers and increase of global warming, there probably won't be a habitable planet."
Can you give us some examples of reduction actions?
“One of the most important missions of the Climate Change and Environmental Conservation Department is to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions and classify them according to sectors. In our calculations, we have seen that energy generation has the biggest effect on Izmir's greenhouse gas emissions with 20,792,032 tons of CO2 which means 83% of Izmir's total emissions and in the distribution of greenhouse gas emissions according to their sectors, the industry sector accounts for the 41.2% of total emissions with the biggest portion. Transportation accounts for 23.1%, dwellings account for 14.3%, agriculture accounts for 9%, other public buildings account for 8.5%, wastes account for 2.4%, municipality buildings account for 0.7%, street lightening account for 0.5% and wastewater accounts for 0.4% of Izmir's total greenhouse gas emission. So according to these percentages we have decided to focus on energy and transportation greenhouse gas emissions firstly. Because most of the emissions of the industry sector are caused by energy generation. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases with environmental investments such as renewable energy investments, development of the rail system in transportation, bicycle, and pedestrian roads, and obtaining electrical energy from waste. The solar power plant was installed in Ekrem Akurgal Life Park, ESHOT Gediz Workshop, Selçuk Solid Waste Transfer Station, Seyrek Dog Shelter, Aliağa Fire Department, Bergama Slaughterhouse, Uzundere Multi-Purpose Hall, and Çiğli Family Information Center buildings. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality installed 217 solar panels, 380 of them on the roof of the gym and 336 of them in the parking area, on a total area of 716 square meters in the park. The system was activated in August and 3 thousand kilowatt-hours of electrical energy was provided in the first three months. 45 tons of carbon emissions are prevented which is a very important number. Thanks to the Solar Energy Plant implemented in 2017 in a total roof area of 10,000 square meters, more than 4 million Turkish Lira has been saved in Gediz Garage facilities. Thanks to 72 percent of the electricity generated, all 20 electric buses are charged. The remaining 34 percent is used for atelier needs. Izmir Metropolitan municipality projects to reduce emissions from transportation. Metropolitan municipality forming an electric bus fleet of 20 buses for the first time in Turkey generates electricity used by the buses from the solar power plant installed by ESHOT in the Gediz Workshop. Izmir's electric buses, which are produced according to the geographical and climatic conditions of the city, can travel 250 kilometers a day and they do not use any energy sources other than electricity. Electric buses reduce carbon emissions to zero, saving more than 80 percent compared to diesel buses, offering a quiet and comfortable journey. By developing the rail system network, public transportation is promoted, and the carbon-free transportation network is developed with bicycle paths and pedestrianized roads.
ESHOT (Electricity, Water, Coal Gas, Bus, Trolleybus)'s employees
Do you think exchange rate differences have any effect on the budget of climate crisis precautions?
"Of course there is. It affects the number of hybrid-electric buses that we buy. We have a budget given by the government which is Turkish Lira-denominated. At this point, as Izmir Metropolitan Municipality we must serve the public transportation, and using diesel buses which have a huge carbon footprint is an obligation for us. We want to increase the electric bus number but because of the expenses, we can't do that. Right now our plan is to buy 100 more electric buses but we are not sure if we can make it. Maybe the purchase of 100 electric buses will be delayed or even worse it will not happen because of exchange rate differences. "
Do you think exchange rate differences have any effect on the budget of climate crisis precautions? "Certainly there is an important effect. Every five years Izmir Metropolitan Municipality creates strategical plans which also contain purchasing electric buses. Purchasing the 100 electric buses will compel our budget because our incomes are Turkish Lira-denominated. Even if we purchase the buses the fuel oil is euro indexed."
Are there any funds that Izmir Metropolitan Municipality benefit from to fight climate crisis? "Unfortunately there is not. Right now we are trying to find it. The climate crisis is a general problem that concerns all world but we are trying to fight alone and fighting regional is not enough to prevent the climate crisis we should fight together.
What is the importance of electric buses in the precautions against climate crisis?
" It has a significant effect. In diesel buses, there is exhaust and CO2 emission which creates environmental pollution. In electric buses, there aren't these emissions. Right now Izmir Metropolitan Municipality's bus fleet there is 20 electric buses. Unless we aren't using them we should use 20 more diesel buses. We have 20 electric buses for 5 years thanks to them we save 2 million 216 thousand liter fuel oil. Also, we prevent 5,545 ton CO2 emission."
Do you think exchange rate differences affect the budget of climate crisis budget?
"Unfortunately they do because we plan to buy 100 more electric buses in our 2020-2025 strategical plan. But differences in the exchange rate decreased our purchasing power. Also due to the variability in the exchange rate companies don't want to give an offer in our tender bids. That's why we are delaying our projects."
Do you think local precautions against climate crisis are enough or global precautions be taken?
" A collective approach will be more effective. But we cannot say that local precautions are worthless. They definitely help fight climate crisis but they aren't enough. We should act globally to continue living in the Earth in the future."
To achieve the 2050 zero greenhouse gas emission goal how much more investments do you think should be done in the electric buses?
"All Izmir Metropolitan Municipality's buses should be electric buses. Diesel buses shouldn't be used because of their emission. Right now we don't know how many more investments are needed to achieve this fleet because it depends on exchange rate differences." Do you think commercial concerns are obstacles to the climate crisis precautions budget? "Definitely. Investors don't want to renounce their earnings. So when they are investing their money, nature isn't their priority. Their first goal is to make as much money as they can."
Research and Data Analysis
As a result of our research, it was observed that exchange rate differences have important effects on the climate crisis precautions budget. In our sample, which is Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, we observe that they are trying to fight with climate crisis by some precautions like electric buses and solar panels. Exchange rate differences make this fight harder. Because due to the exchange rate differences expenses of these precautions are increasing but their incomes are not. Consequently, the associations are delaying the precautions as a first step, sometimes they can't even fulfill their goals. In İzmir Metropolitan Municipality's tender bid in 2016, 12 meters 20 hybrid-electrical buses, 22 charging units, and a guarantee which contains periodic maintenance of electric buses for five years were bought from the "Bozankaya" company. Even though the company produces its buses in Turkey, they import the component pieces. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality is planning to buy 100 more electric buses with their 8-year guarantee in 2022 they cost approximately 430,000 euros. Therefore, it was observed that there was an important increase in the sale prices of hybrid-electrical buses by 2022. And considering Municipality's incomes are Turkish Lira-denominated it is even harder to fight the climate crisis. To fight climate crisis there are some international funds. 43% of these funds (USD 30.6 bn) were provided to the Asia continent. Even though Turkey is in the Asia continent ESHOT can’t benefit from these funds. Although the majority of these funds for mitigation actions and electric buses are part of these actions, ESHOT still couldn’t use these funds. Loans are important for the fight with climate crisis but for efficient actions, we need more grants. We observe that the accrual of the financial support is insufficient to fight with the climate crisis.