Turkey's Carbon Roadmap: Expected Regulations and Standards

Turkey Prepares for ETS

As global climate policies are rapidly taking shape, Turkey is not left out of this transformation. Especially strong trade ties with the European Union directly affect carbon regulations in Turkey. So, what awaits us for carbon footprint reporting in Turkey and which standards should companies be prepared for?

What are the expected regulations for carbon footprint reporting in Turkey?

The carbon footprint reporting process in Turkey is directly related to the Green Deal and Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in Europe. In order to reduce the new pricing and tax burden that CBAM may impose on our exporters, Turkey is taking a strategic step to establish its own Emissions Trading System (ETS).

The main objectives to be achieved with the establishment of this system and the preparation processes are as follows:

• National Control: Once the ETS system is established, Turkey will become a country that sets its own limits and rules, rather than a passive implementer of carbon regulations.
• Early Preparation: In order to avoid problems when new regulations come into effect, it is essential for companies to prepare now. The most important step in this preparation is measurement. In other words, calculating the carbon footprint and ensuring that this data is readily available is the cornerstone of the process.
• Strategic Adaptation: Companies can significantly shorten their adaptation processes to possible new regulations by not only measuring but also determining their mitigation strategies in advance.

Which International Standards will reporting be based on?

The carbon reporting expected from companies in the coming period will be shaped by two main standards with global validity: GHG Protocol and ISO 14064-1.

The reasons why these standards are preferred are as follows:

• Global Prevalence: Since these are the two most widely used and accepted standards in the world, these standards will also be the basis for the regulations in Turkey.
• Turkey's Preference: In Turkey, ISO standards have a much more widespread and established use. Therefore, it is anticipated that companies that make their preparations in accordance with ISO 14064-1 and prepare their reports in this format will not have any problems in future processes.