Assoc. Prof. Dr. Üçtuğ Explains the Green Deal

Associate Professor Üçtuğ Explains the Green Deal Görkem Üçtuğ, Associate Professor at İzmir Ekonomi Üniversitesi (İEÜ), participated in the Harvard Business Review Sustainability Summit, which drew global participation. During the summit, Associate Professor Üçtuğ, who presented on the green deal, stated that Turkey would adapt to the transformation very rapidly with appropriate regulations and incentives. Görkem Üçtuğ, Associate Professor and Deputy Dean of the Engineering Faculty at İzmir Ekonomi Üniversitesi (İEÜ), was a speaker at the Harvard Business Review Sustainability Summit, where numerous CEOs, academics, journalists and civil society organisation representatives from Turkey and abroad participated online. In the panel titled "Green Deal and Its Implications for the Energy Sector," moderated by Mehmet Erdoğan Elgin, Energy Editor at Bloomberg Businessweek Turkey, Üçtuğ presented alongside Mikayil Yusufov, Head of Communications and Public Relations at SOCAR Turkey, explaining to participants the changes the green deal would bring and the work that could be undertaken. Üçtuğ also assessed the risks Turkey would face if the transformation were not achieved in time, stating: "According to research conducted by the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD), the loss our country would experience if it fails to achieve the transformation is between EUR 800 million and EUR 1.8 billion annually. This is a very large figure; however, our country can transform very rapidly with appropriate regulations and appropriate incentives. I conveyed at the summit that our country has this capability." In his explanation of what strategy should be determined to ensure the transformation regarding the green deal, Üçtuğ continued as follows: "During the transformation process, the public sector, private sector, civil society organisations and universities must act together. Data collection and carbon footprint calculation processes must be conducted transparently. When we do not share correct information, we cannot benefit from green funds. If a bias forms against Turkish companies, it brings an adverse process for all of us." Referring to the important work İzmir Ekonomi Üniversitesi has undertaken on the green deal, Üçtuğ explained: "Together with our academics at our university, we are addressing the green deal from different perspectives, producing both technical solutions and trying to inform different segments of our society about the changes the green deal will bring. We are providing carbon footprint advisory services to leading companies in various sectors such as petrochemicals, food, energy, finance and information technology. We will continue our work domestically and internationally."