Türkiye's First Climate Law (2025)

The Climate Law, adopted by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye on 2 July 2025, is Türkiye’s first comprehensive legal framework aimed at combating climate change. Under this law, a necessary legal and institutional structure has been established to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, implement climate adaptation activities, and realize the green growth vision in line with Türkiye’s 2053 Net Zero Emissions Target.

_{Representative visual illustrating the main objectives and implementation stages of Türkiye’s Climate Law. (Generated by artificial intelligence.)}

Legal and Institutional Framework

Core Principles

The Climate Law establishes the fundamental principles guiding Türkiye’s efforts to combat climate change. It adopts the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.” Additionally, it takes into account equity, climate justice, precaution, participation, integration, sustainability, transparency, just transition, and progressive approaches.

Public institutions and organizations, as well as natural and legal persons, are obligated to comply with and implement measures and regulations adopted in the public interest within the prescribed timeframes.

Definitions

The law defines new concepts and terms related to climate change mitigation. These include:

• Just Transition: A process aimed at balancing economic and social impacts arising from climate change mitigation,
• Primary Market: The market where initial allocations under the Emissions Trading System are sold,
• Offsetting: The balancing of emission obligations through mechanisms such as carbon credits,
• Emissions Trading System (ETS): A market-based mechanism for trading greenhouse gas emissions,
• Embedded Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Emissions indirectly generated during the production process of goods,
• Voluntary Carbon Markets: Markets where emission reduction projects are voluntarily converted into carbon credits,
• Climate Justice: A principle aimed at addressing social inequalities in the context of climate change mitigation.

Institutional Structure

Directorate of Climate Change

The Climate Law establishes the Directorate of Climate Change as the central competent authority. The Directorate is empowered to:

• Monitor reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and climate adaptation activities,
• Ensure inter-institutional coordination,
• Regulate carbon pricing and market mechanisms,
• Prepare and implement strategies and action plans.

The Directorate has the authority to request information and data from public institutions and organizations, as well as from natural and legal persons. It is also granted the authority to obtain data from the National Geospatial Information Platform for its own operations and to share data with other institutions.

Carbon Market Board

The Carbon Market Board is responsible for making key policy and implementation decisions under the ETS. The Board consists of representatives from relevant ministries and institutions under the chairmanship of the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. The Directorate of Climate Change serves as its secretariat.

Provincial Climate Change Coordination Boards

Provincial Climate Change Coordination Boards, established under the chairmanship of each provincial governor, are responsible for preparing and implementing provincial-level climate change action plans. These boards comprise representatives from public institutions and local administrations at the provincial or regional level.

Climate Change Mitigation Strategies and Implementation Areas

Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Nationally Determined Contribution and Net Zero Emissions Target

The Climate Law mandates the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in line with Türkiye’s target of achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2053. The Nationally Determined Contribution serves as the foundation, and specific responsibilities and duties are assigned to all public institutions and organizations based on sectoral targets.

Institutions and organizations are required to implement measures such as improving energy, water and raw material efficiency, increasing the use of renewable energy, reducing carbon footprints, and adopting alternative low-carbon fuels. The development of clean technologies, the expansion of electrification, and the implementation of zero-waste systems are also included within this scope.

Emissions Trading System (ETS)

The Emissions Trading System (ETS), to be implemented for the first time in Türkiye, is established by the Directorate of Climate Change. Under the ETS, facilities directly responsible for greenhouse gas emissions are required to obtain a “greenhouse gas emission permit” from the Directorate.

Allocations to be traded in the ETS market will be determined according to the national allocation plan, and allocations may be distributed free of charge or for a fee. Under the compliance obligation, facilities must surrender allocations equivalent to their annual emissions.

The Carbon Market Board is tasked with approving the national allocation plan, determining the volume of sales in the primary market, and defining plans, policies and strategies related to the ETS. The Advisory Board, composed of sector representatives, civil society organizations and private sector stakeholders, provides advisory opinions. Before full implementation of the ETS, a pilot phase will be established during which the scope, duration and procedural principles will be determined by the Carbon Market Board.

Voluntary Carbon Markets and Offsetting

Under voluntary carbon markets, carbon credits are generated through projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or enhance carbon sinks. These credits may be used for offsetting under the ETS. The Directorate of Climate Change is authorized to define the principles of the national carbon crediting and offsetting system, regulate the conditions for carbon credit use, and cooperate with international carbon markets.

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

A Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) may be established to account for embedded greenhouse gas emissions generated during the production of goods imported into Türkiye’s Customs Territory. The scope, reporting requirements and implementation principles of this mechanism will be determined under the coordination of the Ministry of Trade.

Climate Adaptation Activities

Risk Reduction and Disaster Management

The Climate Law adopts an integrated disaster management approach to reduce losses and damages caused by climate-related disasters. This includes the establishment and enhancement of risk assessment, monitoring, information dissemination and early warning systems.

Measures against disasters will be planned in alignment with national and local climate adaptation strategies, aiming to increase the resilience of cities and critical infrastructure.

Ecosystem Management and Land Use

The Climate Law encompasses measures to protect and sustainably manage ecosystems. Relevant institutions will implement measures to enhance the quality and extent of marine and terrestrial protected areas and prevent carbon sink losses in forests, agriculture, pastures and wetlands.

In addition, to combat desertification, erosion and land degradation, carbon sink areas will be established in non-forested lands and their sustainable management ensured. Land degradation offsetting will be carried out with the aim of reducing the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and biodiversity.

Agriculture and Food Security

To adapt the agricultural sector to climate change, the development of climate-resilient crop patterns and the implementation of planning tools that consider water budgets are foreseen.

Food security will be ensured by maintaining a balance between conservation and utilization of natural resources, ecosystems and biodiversity. Nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation approaches will be widely promoted in agriculture.

Planning and Implementation Tools

In accordance with the Climate Law, greenhouse gas emission reductions and climate adaptation activities will be implemented based on strategies and action plans issued by the Directorate of Climate Change at the national level. National action plans will be prepared, implemented, monitored and updated periodically. Public institutions and organizations will cooperate in the preparation of these plans. At the local level, Provincial Climate Change Coordination Boards, established under the chairmanship of each provincial governor, will develop provincial-specific climate change action plans.

In metropolitan municipalities, the metropolitan municipality; in other provinces, the provincial municipality and provincial special administration, with the participation of relevant institutions and organizations, will be responsible for preparing action plans. The process of preparing local action plans must be completed by 31 December 2027. This period may be extended by up to one year at the discretion of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change if necessary.

Financial and Technological Provisions

Climate Finance and Green Taxonomy

The Climate Law regulates the creation and direction of financial resources required for climate change mitigation activities. The Directorate of Climate Change is authorized to develop climate finance resources and direct them toward climate-friendly investments in line with green growth objectives.

The Türkiye Green Taxonomy has been established, creating a legal framework to classify environmentally sustainable investments. This taxonomy aims to guide international financial resources toward Türkiye by assessing the environmental impacts of investment projects.

Climate finance includes the promotion of green and sustainable capital market instruments, bank financing and other financial tools. Insurance mechanisms are also included as part of the financing framework.

Revolving Fund Operation

The establishment of a revolving fund under the Directorate of Climate Change is mandated. The initial capital of the revolving fund is set at 10 million Turkish Lira, with the President of the Republic authorized to increase this amount up to fivefold. Revenues generated by the revolving fund shall be used exclusively for activities related to green transformation and climate change mitigation. Up to 10 percent of these revenues may be allocated to just transition initiatives.

Clean Technologies and Domestic Capacity Development

Increasing technological self-sufficiency capacity is identified as a priority goal in planning instruments prepared by relevant institutions and organizations. This includes the development and dissemination of clean technologies such as carbon capture and storage and hydrogen technologies to combat climate change. The Directorate of Climate Change is empowered to monitor emerging technologies, develop projects and guide activities in these fields. Institutes and research and application centers may be established in coordination with relevant institutions under the Directorate’s supervision.

Education and Public Awareness

Curriculum Updates and Green Workforce

The Climate Law mandates the updating of education and training programs to raise public awareness and understanding of climate change mitigation. Under this provision, the Ministry of National Education and the Council of Higher Education will coordinate reviews of curricula at all educational levels to integrate topics on climate change and green transformation into course content.

Additionally, adjustments will be made to vocational, higher and lifelong education programs, and new training areas will be created to develop a green workforce.

Public Awareness Campaigns

The Climate Law includes public information and awareness campaigns aimed at increasing sensitivity to climate change across all segments of society. Educational, campaign and awareness activities will be organized by public institutions, organizations and civil society groups.

Institutions and organizations are obligated to conduct public awareness campaigns on the impacts of climate change, possible measures, and climate-friendly lifestyles as part of their capacity-building activities.

Monitoring, Licensing and Administrative Sanctions

Under the Climate Law, monitoring authority is granted to the Directorate of Climate Change. The Directorate is responsible for ensuring compliance with obligations set forth in the regulation. In cases requiring on-site inspections, the Directorate’s units will cooperate with the field units of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change to carry out inspections. The provision of necessary information and documents during inspections is mandatory. The Directorate also holds the authority to issue administrative sanctions and will apply penalties based on reports prepared by inspection personnel.

The Climate Law specifies various administrative fines for non-compliance:

• Administrative fines ranging from 500,000 to 5 million Turkish Lira will be imposed on those who fail to submit greenhouse gas emission reports on time. For facilities under the ETS, this fine will be applied at double the rate.
• Administrative fines ranging from 120,000 to 2.5 million Turkish Lira will be imposed on those who violate prohibitions related to ozone-depleting substances.
• Fines ranging from 120,000 to 2.5 million Turkish Lira will be imposed on those who fail to comply with obligations related to fluorinated greenhouse gases. The Hydrofluorocarbon Control Certificate will not be issued for a period of 3 to 6 months.
• Facilities failing to meet their ETS allocation surrender obligations will face high fines based on prevailing market prices for allocations.
• Project owners who fail to register their carbon credit projects will be fined 120,000 Turkish Lira.

If administrative fines are repeated within three years of the notification date, the penalty will be increased by onefold for the first repeat and twofold for the second and subsequent repeats. The law sets a maximum limit of 50 million Turkish Lira for each administrative fine per violation. The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change may grant a one-time grace period of up to one year to rectify the violation. If the violation is not corrected by the end of this period, operations will be suspended.

Entry into Force and Transition Periods

The deadline for aligning existing legislation with the Climate Law and preparing planning instruments is set as 31 December 2027. By this date, all public institutions and organizations must implement their plans and strategies related to climate change mitigation and adaptation. The President of the Republic is authorized to extend this period by up to one year if deemed necessary. Provincial climate change action plans will also be prepared and submitted to the Provincial Climate Change Coordination Boards within the same timeframe. These plans will form the comprehensive climate strategy for each province.