Eastern Mediterranean Climate Policy Forum In his article "The Decarbonisation Agenda in Türkiye, the European Union and the Eastern Mediterranean" published in Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Güven Sak, Founding Director of the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV), pointed out the potential for accelerating the decarbonisation efforts in the Eastern Mediterranean.

A recent article by Sak emphasizes the critical role of Türkiye's Customs Union (CU) modernization in establishing Ankara's pivotal contribution to a more sustainable Eastern Mediterranean. The report underscores the need for intensified efforts and substantial investments in the transformation of Türkiye, a large industrial nation with a population exceeding 84 million.

Only closer cooperation with the EU and the related capital-intensive economic transformation can turn Türkiye into an intrinsic part of a green Mediterranean initiative.

Sak stresses that Türkiye's successful integration into a green Mediterranean initiative hinges on a robust working relationship with the European Union (EU). It advocates for closer collaboration, emphasizing the necessity for compatible decarbonization plans and comparable Emission Trading Systems (ETS) between Türkiye and the EU.

Greater co-operation is needed to cope with the economic and social transformations that international migration driven by climate change factors will bring.

Unlike the "positive agenda" items related to cooperation on Syrian migration, which were deemed insufficient for a comprehensive negotiation process due to their superficial nature, the potential modernization of the CU in the era of the European Green Deal offers a more substantial framework to envisage a shared future for the EU and Türkiye.

A common regional perspective between Türkiye and the EU on the Eastern Mediterranean is a must.

Sak argues that there is a need for a comprehensive agenda that includes digitalisation, biologisation, decarbonisation and common security, and that energy security cooperation and joint production of green hydrogen for the EU market should be prioritised.

Joint action needs a mechanism for climate policy dialogue in the region.

Established in 2019, the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum coordinates gas-related activities among Member States, aiming to maximize the region's gas potential and foster energy security and economic development. As a dedicated instrument for policy dialogue, Sak suggests the establishment of an Eastern Mediterranean Climate Policy Forum. This proposed forum, different from the Gas Forum, would include participation from all regional countries and could initially be hosted by business support organizations, fostering an economic policy dialogue. With a comprehensive focus on climate-related issues such as climate change, water management, biodiversity, green finance, energy security, digital transformation, and international trade, an Eastern Mediterranean Climate Forum could facilitate a broader policy dialogue on the European Green Deal (EGD) in the region, mitigating climate change risks. Additionally, climate policy coordination in the Eastern Mediterranean may serve as a foundation for a regional blue growth strategy.

Türkiye’s journey to a green transition should form part of the motivation and the plan for a Türkiye-EU Customs Union 2.0.

In conclusion, Güven Sak underlines the urgency of a renewed and ambitious agenda for EU-Türkiye relations. He advocates Türkiye's green transformation journey as the driving force behind the Türkiye-EU Customs Union 2.0 plan, which is essential for a greener and cleaner Eastern Mediterranean.

This publication was published in Konrad Adenauer Stiftung on 18.12.2023