Turkey set to submit Paris climate pact to parliament next month: President

"Turkey is not indifferent to any global problem, crisis or call, and will also do its part on climate change and protecting the environment," said Erdoğan in remarks to the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

World
Anadolu Agency
Published Date: 10:59 | 21 September 2021
Modified Date: 01:26 | 22 September 2021

Turkey is planning to submit the Paris climate pact to parliament for approval next month in line with its constructive steps and a declaration of its contributions to the cause, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced on Tuesday.

He said the ratification phase of the agreement will be completed before the UN Climate Change Conference, which will be held in November in Glasgow, Scotland.

"We consider this process, which will lead to radical changes in our investment, production and employment policies, as one of the main elements of our 2053 vision," he added.

TURKISH PRESIDENT: WORLD CAN'T LET SYRIAN CRISIS LAST 10 MORE YEARS

The Turkish leader underlined that the world should put its focus on climate change, because beyond being an environmental issue, this problem could lead to irreversible consequences for the Earth.

It is possible to prevent coronavirus with vaccines, but there is no laboratory solution for climate change, said the president.

"For this reason, also for climate change, we repeat our call that the 'World is Bigger than Five,' something we say at every opportunity," said Erdoğan, referring to his long campaign to expand the UN Security Council beyond its five permanent members to make it more inclusive.

"Whoever has done the most damage to nature, to our atmosphere, our water, our soil and the earth, and whoever has wildly exploited natural resources, should also make the greatest contribution to the fight against climate change," he added.

While upholding high environmental standards, Turkey has argued that developed, industrialized nations cannot put the main burden of fighting climate change on the shoulders of emerging economies.

In its joining the 2015 Paris accords, placing Turkey in the same category as developed economies is not at all acceptable, according to Turkish officials.

"Unlike in the past, this time no one has the right to say 'I'm powerful, I won't pay the bill'," Erdoğan added.

"Because climate change treats mankind quite fairly."

'DISGRACE FOR HUMANITY'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called vaccine nationalism a "disgrace for humanity" Tuesday and urged global cooperation to combat COVID-19.

"At a time when millions of people have lost their lives and tens of millions of people are suffering in the grip of the virus, it is a disgrace for humanity that vaccine nationalism is still being carried on through different methods," Erdogan said in his address at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.

The president said that during this pandemic, the solidarity test did not go well for humanity.

"Especially the underdeveloped countries and poor segments of society were literally left to their fate in the face of the pandemic," he said.

The president said the pandemic, which has sickened nearly 230 million people and killed more than 4.7 million others since December 2019, can only be overcome through international cooperation and solidarity.

"It is not possible for any country to survive safely on its own before all countries are free from this pandemic. We hope that the will which shall be displayed at the General Assembly will constitute a turning point in understanding this truth," he added.

TURKOVAC

The Turkish president also said that Turkey dispatched medical aid to 159 countries and 12 international organizations during the pandemic and announced that Ankara will distribute it to other countries.

"I would like to inform that we will offer in the near future our national vaccine, Turkovac, to the benefit of all humanity, together with our nation," he said.

According to Turkey's Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, the Turkovac jab is at a stage where authorities are preparing to apply for emergency use approval.

"If approved, we will start mass production in October," Koca said on Sept. 9, adding two facilities are now ready for manufacturing.

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