A webinar on "City Talks 3: The Future of Environment and Climate Policies" organized by Marmara University Urban Problems and Local Governments Research and Application Center was held by the presence of  Prof. Dr. Mehmet Emin Birpınar, Deputy Minister of Environment and Urbanization and Chief Climate Change Negotiator,  and Prof. Dr. Mustafa Çelen, Vice-Rector of Marmara University. Realized by the moderator of  Lecturer Dr. Hande Gürsoy Haksevenler, Department of Urbanization and Environmental Problems, the discourse was held via Zoom on 25th March 2021. 

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Çelen said that environmental and climate policies are multi-directional policies with economic, political and social effects. Adding that such policies can also be considered as a kind of economic protectionist measure by some countries, Çelen said, “Therefore, it is important to discuss this issue in a broad framework and to inform the society.” Mustafa Çelen gave the floor to Prof. Dr.  Emin Birpınar, to whom he thanked him for his presence.

Birpınar, "Nowadays, the climate issue has turned into a common development issue affecting various areas of the private sector and the public." said. He added that environmental pollution is behind many viruses that break societies and that city infrastructure is important in this sense. Emphasizing that the climate change issue is noteworthy, Birpınar said, “One of the biggest problems faced by human beings is climate change. The global dimension of the climate crisis is alarming. We have observed an increase in the frequency and severity of meteorological and hydrological disasters in recent years. The issue of climate change changes all design criteria of engineering calculations and it raises the necessity to make changes in existing formulations. Even in cities with well-built infrastructure, we see floods due to abnormal rainfall events. In this case, it is necessary to accept climate change and to take action in accordance with it”. Emphasizing the fact that human beings are the cause of the climate crisis, Birpınar also underlined that with the efforts of human beings, remedies can be found to prevent climate change. Regarding leaving a clean world for future generations, he stated that environmentalism is within the responsibility of the individual.

After Prof. Dr. After Emin Birpınar answered the questions of the participants, the program was completed.