Development of a Roadmap to integrate Sustainable Consumption and Production within the Housing and Construction Sector for Turkey

Published on February 15, 2022

Although there are many definitions regarding sustainable production which “reducing the risks on people and the environment by the continuous application of a holistic and preventive environmental strategy to products and processes” is the most widely used definition. Sustainable production refers to a strategy, and best available techniques (BAT) practices are a tool that contributes to sustainable production for production processes in industry. With sustainable production practices; prevention of pollution at its source without the occurrence of environmental effects is based on an integrated pollution prevention and control (ippc) approach, and environmental issues are covered by industrial, urban, agricultural, etc.. It should consider that all kinds of human activities are included in the planning process as a parameter at the design/plan stage. In addition to an increase in environmental performance, production costs are also reduced through resource efficiency, prevention and reduction of pollution at the source, use of environmentally friendly products and technologies

With the circular economy, it is aimed to create a new production model based on sustainability and innovation, where every waste generated in a production system is re-evaluated, thus saving raw material costs, while providing maximum resource and energy efficiency and environmental benefit. With the integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) approach, in order to minimize waste generation and ensure the reduction of waste at its source, the use of the best techniques available in the industry also serves circular economy and industrial symbiosis and sustainable consumption and production. Sectoral studies are carried out by Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change within the framework of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) is one of the environmental legislation components of the EU’s the IPPC approach. With the IPPC approach, in order to spread the use of the best available techniques and best environmental practices in the industry, projects on the cement production facilities, automotive production facilities, large incineration plants, glass and paper sectors were carried out by Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. Also; studies are carried out to determine the sectoral infrastructure needs and compliance status within the scope of the harmonization of the Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU) in ferrous and non-ferrous metal production facilities and in the chemical and mineral industry.

"Mediterranean Sustainable Consumption and Production Regional Action Plan" has been prepared for the activities of the "Sustainable Consumption and Production Regional Activity Center" (SCP / RAC), which operates within the Barcelona Convention (Agreement on the Protection of the Mediterranean Against Pollution), to which Turkey is a party of eight Mediterranean National Sustainable Consumption and Production National Action Plans have been developed. Priority has been given to the titles of "food, fishing and agriculture", "housing and construction", "consumer products manufacturing" and "tourism", which are among the value chains included in the concept of sustainable consumption and production with circular economy.

Studies are carried out in line with 12th goals of 2030 Sustainable Development Goals by Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change: “the implementation of the responsible consumption and production target, to ensure the inclusion of resource efficiency practices in the industry, to encourage the development of environmentally friendly business models that support the circular economy and to create policy instruments that support these actions”. With the "Sustainable Consumption and Production National Action Plan (STÜ-UEP) and Current Situation Study for Preparing the Road Map” Project, which is carried out under the coordination of our Ministry, studies for Turkey have been initiated in 2019. Within the scope of STÜ-UEP and Roadmap development studies, priority was given to the "Electric Electronic Goods Value Chain" in the consumer products manufacturing sector. Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change is carrying out sustainable consumption and production studies in the housing and construction sector and it is aimed to prepare a National Sustainable Consumption and Production Action Plan in the third quarter of 2024.