Impressions of the Paris Climate Conference 2015

Impressions of the Paris Climate Conference 2015

The Istanbul Policy Center (IPC)-Sabancı University-Stiftung Mercator Initiative hosted a panel discussion titled "Impressions of the Paris Climate Conference 2015 – COP21." Held in the Karaköy Minerva Palas building of Sabancı University, the panel's speakers were IPC Senior Specialist Ümit Şahin, 2014/15 Mercator-IPC Fellow Ethemcan Turhan, 2015/16 Mercator-IPC Fellow Hande Paker and Sabancı University CDP Turkey Project Manager Mirhan Köroğlu Göğüş, who followed the summit in Paris. All four speakers shared their impressions and observations during the Paris Climate Conference 2015 – COP21 held in Paris between November 30th and December 12th.

Speaking first, Ümit Şahin had the following to say about COP21: "Sabancı University took part in the COP21 as an accredited institution this year. As Istanbul Policy Center, we organized a side event on the report titled "Ways of Low-Carbon Development for Turkey" prepared in partnership with WWF Turkey on November 30, and a press conference on the Coal Report on December 9. This was an opportunity for us to express our recommendations and criticism regarding Turkey's policies and negotiating position in the Paris Climate Conference.

 

Compared to the previous events, the Paris Conference was livelier than most, but it was still less busy than we expected. This may be partly due to the French government enacting martial law and banning all civilian demonstrations in the aftermath of the November 13 attacks. However, attendance was still very high and it was stated that 30,000 participants registered to the official part of the conference, including 10,000 from civil society organizations.

The Paris Convention as the outcome of the Paris conference was hailed as a great success in the press. This may be due to two reasons: Many were not expecting an agreement to come out of Paris so there was notable pessimism among people; or, the media is not a close follower of these topics. It is important that the Paris Convention has been adopted, but it must be said that the success story is a commissioned one. In fact, it is possible to argue that the insistence of the UN and France as the host of the organization on this being a success story is a political maneuver at attempting to conceal the shortcomings of the convention. Nevertheless, considering that the shock of the collapse of the Copenhagen summit in 2009 has been overcome and a new agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol has been reached, this is also an important turning point. Furthermore, this agreement is the strongest statement that climate change is a serious threat, and the claims of climate change deniers, particularly the right-wing segment of the United States, that climate change does not exist or is not human-caused have been refuted.

The Difference between the Paris Convention and the Kyoto Protocol

The main difference in the Paris Convention is that, unlike the Kyoto Protocol, a maximum temperature increase target was established. An agreement has been reached to keep global warming at 2 degrees centigrade, preferably at 1.5 degrees, and the global increase is already at 1 degree. Another difference from Kyoto is the assessment of reduction targets by a carbon budget approach.  In Kyoto, there was a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 5% on average, but this was not calculated by carbon budget. According to this mode of calculation, the maximum carbon dioxide that can be emitted to the atmosphere worldwide until the year 2100 is 1000 gigatons if warming is to be kept limited to 2 degrees. This kind of guide is an important development to measure whether reduction targets work. Moreover, the Paris Convention creates a universal climate regime in which all 195 countries participate, not just developed countries. It is also significant that all parties submit their own plans to combat climate change by way of Intended Nationally Declared Contributions (INDC) as opposed to an imposed reduction target. This was also the first time concepts such as climate justice and mother earth were included in the convention.

Issues in the Convention

The greatest shortcoming of the Paris Convention is that it will not stop climate change. Although the convention speaks of 2 degrees, and even 1.5 degrees, the national reduction targets in INDCs are so inadequate that they will take warming up to 3 degrees. Even if the agreement itself is binding, the emission reduction targets in INDCs, which are annexed to the agreement and constitute a substantial part of it, are not. Even though the Kyoto Protocol was a binding climate agreement, Canada had withdrawn from it and faced no consequences. Unless a clear sanction is imposed, for example, a climate court is established, no change can be expected. Nevertheless, the emission reduction targets in this agreement are even less binding.

Another issue in the Paris Convention that there is no target to decarbonize the economy until 2050. The Convention establishes a target to achieve carbon neutralization in the second half of the century (which is a long period between 2051 and 2100), yet in the absence of a functioning negative emission technology, it is not clear how neutralization will be achieved and when this objective will be fulfilled.

What Needed to Be Done

What really needed to be done with this agreement was to impose a revision of the current INDCs that determine national emission reduction targets until 2020. However, countries are now able to continue with the current targets until 2025. This may cost the world another 10 years. Turkey's most difficult task will be to undertake serious scientific studies to revise its INDC until 2018 and end the trend of growth based on increased fossil fuel consumption. Another precaution against being locked into a carbon infrastructure may be to cancel or suspend all new coal-fired power plant licenses until a new INDC is issued and the Paris Convention becomes effective in 2020."

Ethemcan Turhan had the following to say about COP21: "One of the key issues leading up to Paris was relevant to Turkey as it was on the differentiation between developed and developing countries. However, this differentiation remains limited to diplomatic language and it is unclear who will fulfill common but differentiated responsibilities, and how. Under these circumstances, the Paris Convention seems to be acting on the differentiation in the annexes of the 1992 UN Framework Convention for Climate Change, even though it does not reference them.

One of the discussions on Paris was on the financing of developing countries that are affected by the impact of climate change by those countries that have caused climate debt, or those which have completed their development using fossil fuels in earlier years, thus using up their fair use quota of the atmosphere. The Paris Conference officially resolved to create a climate finance pool of 100 billion dollars per year after 2020, which was a recommendation in Copenhagen in 2009. Green Climate Fund (GCF), Adaptation Fund (AF) and Least-Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) are some of the mechanisms that will transfer these funds to developing or least-developed countries. Nevertheless, since Turkey is a developed country by status –at least in the current form of the agreement– the country is only eligible for the Global Environment Fund (GEF). COP21 president and French foreign minister Laurent Fabius stated that, upon Turkey's request, negotiations will be held on Turkey's unique circumstances until COP22 to be held in Morocco in 2016.

It must be noted that climate finance is not an aid or alms, but a right. Therefore, this fund must be interpreted both as support for reduction and adaptation, and as indemnification paid for previous damages. It is particularly striking that, due to pressure from the US, this part of the agreement contains provisions that this mechanism will not create any liability or indemnification. From the US perspective, such a provision was required because it was predicted that the convention would not otherwise be ratified in the Congress, where Republicans are the majority. On the other hand, the climate finance agreed in Paris must be given in supplement to the Official Development Aid (ODA) already provided. There is a risk that the current development aids provided by bilateral and multilateral mechanisms (which must be equal to 0.7% of the GDPs of OECD countries) can be green-washed and presented as a distinct fund, which requires further attention to the issue.

The Paris Convention is a significant diplomatic achievement but the biophysical limits of the planet do not care about relative development and diplomatic success. Current contributions and sanctions will not suffice to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees. Countries must take more realistic and scientifically endorsed steps. Although the Paris Convention aims for carbon neutrality in the second half of the century (2050-2099) this is far from being scientific as it depends on both wrong solutions which claim that there will be cases of negative emission by carbon safekeeping, and on carbon offsetting or markets that are written into the agreement as internationally-transferred reduction outputs. This creates the illusion that the current economic-political system may continue as it is only based on technological development. On the other hand, if we fail to follow the advice of the world's leading scientists and reach the peak of global greenhouse gas emissions between 2020 and 2030 and then completely decarbonize the global economy by 2050, limiting global warming to 2 degrees can only be a dream like 1.5 degrees.

Another striking issue is that the body of the Paris Convention does not make references to coal, fossils and renewables. Furthermore, the agreement does not include the emissions resulting from international transport (maritime and air), which is a significant omission. The international transport industry accounts for 2% of total greenhouse gas emissions, equal to that of Germany. Meanwhile, references to gender equality, migrant rights, human rights and Mother Nature in the preamble of the agreement are important advances.

Turkey must prepare for a socioeconomic transformation rather than seeking special conditions after Paris. At a time when many private sector companies worldwide are exiting fossil fuels, Turkey must consider this both for the sake of its own social development, and for becoming a global player. Clear reduction targets must be set and concrete steps taken in an energy transformation plan. In addition, current adaptation strategies must be revised and significant resources must be set aside for the chapters of this strategy in the medium and long term. Local governments have an important part to play as well. If Turkey wants to lead efforts in climate change and not lose another 20 years, investments must be made in research and development, and in academic studies and institutions working on climate change in particular. Personally, I view Paris as a useful jumping board rather than a great victory. The world is sure to go through transformation in the aftermath of Paris, but what matters is that such transformation is fair, egalitarian, participatory and transparent. It is also important that the transformation is fair on those working in the fossil fuel industry. Resources must be spent for retraining and redirecting the millions that will be exiting this industry. Turkey cannot be isolated from a changing world, so the earlier we decide to act and become a leader, the closer we will be to being a global player."

Hande Paker's comments about COP21: "We observed participation from civil society in two important areas in COP21. First was the civil society area (climate generations) set up by the UN next to the blue zone where official negotiations were taking place. The other was “Zone d’action pour le climat (Climate Action Zone)” where nongovernmental participants held an alternative summit. Climate justice networks, global NGOs, glocal movements and local populations held meetings, side events and forums in these areas.

Climate justice has been on the civil society agenda for a long time, but it was important for it to find voice as it reminds everyone that climate change is not a technical but a political issue. "Decarbonization" did not find place in the body of the convention but was among the most pressing demands of the civil society. The Divestment campaign called for companies to stop making investments in fossil fuels in order to finish the fossil fuel industry. It was explained that some solutions in the agreement were wrong solutions. Emphasis was on nuclear energy, hydropower plants that cause great ecological and social devastation, and carbon markets as wrong solutions. Creative solutions such as renewable energy, smaller-scale energy production, and energy generation from waste were counted among true alternatives. The concept of energy justice/democracy, aiming to generate energy while protecting worker rights and providing accessible clean energy to all, was another voiced concern. One of the points discussed was food domination over food safety. The problem does not end with putting food on table; we must also talk about who produces the food, and how. 

Overlapping themes discussed in alternative summits were climate change and justice, climate change and energy policies, worker rights and climate change, human rights and climate change, and global trade agreements and unchecked growth. This overlap is important for expanding the base of the climate movement. Intensive action plans for the future show that the idea to create a climate movement is gaining strength.

The Paris Convention is not a binding agreement and it is impossible to achieve the 1.5 degree target with the current INDCs. Nevertheless, we can say that it provides a common framework and lays down some targets. The real question begs an answer: Can this agreement be a truly transformative tool? There is good news and there is bad news. The good news is, the climate movement has a solid foundation of action, inclusiveness and common concerns. The bad news is that interaction between decision-makers and the civil society is weak, and considering the key role played by decision-makers in transformation, this is a severe shortcoming."

Finally, Mirhan Köroğlu Göğüş told the following impressions of COP21: "In the Paris Conference, we saw that businesses were considerably more active than before, and worked under different movements. Among these, the We Mean Business coalition led efforts to call for companies to look beyond the climate change data they disclose and support a global climate convention, and emphasize the expectations of businesses in negotiations and the issues they wanted to see covered in Paris. Some of the chapters they demanded were included in the Paris Convention. The Science Based Targets initiative led by CDP asked companies before and during the conference to make emission reduction commitments based on scientific methodologies in order to limit global temperature increase to 2 degrees as recognized by science and governments alike.

Investors were represented by the UN and CDP joint initiative Portfolio Decarbonization Coalition. According to this initiative, investors are required to measure and disclose carbon amounts in their portfolios on a regular basis to gradually reduce the amount of carbon in their portfolios. The participation of two leading investors like Allianz and ADP made the coalition more visible during the Paris Conference. In particular, investors expressed full support for the INDCs submitted by all countries to the UN before and during the Paris Conference, and that they were prepared for the change stated in the commitments. The main components of this change were pointed out to be carbon pricing, decarbonization of investment portfolios, technological investments, and support of innovation. The Caring for Climate movement also acting under the UN held a business forum in Paris. The initiative seeks to activate business leaders to generate solutions and policies against climate change, and companies stated that they would strive to find new and innovative solutions, especially for adapting to climate change. It was noted that the world was still in the quagmire of a fossil fuel-dependent economy particularly in technological investments and innovation, and that half of the current carbon emissions resulted from the use of old technologies. Financial support was argued to be the only way to pull out of the quagmire and transition to an economy based on renewable energy and innovation, which would also create green growth and new jobs. Arguments also focused on the absence of the dynamics required to achieve economic transformation and the ongoing domination of the market by fossil fuels, demanding that incentives on fossil fuels were terminated immediately and that these resources are transferred to new technologies and renewable energy.

Although carbon pricing was included in the body of the Paris Convention, the removal of decarbonization and replacement by 'carbon neutralization' as well as statements based on carbon keeping and storage systems and carbon markets, whose effectiveness has not been proven yet, may hinder processes that will compel businesses to action in the short term."


"Business Against Domestic Violence Policy Development and Implementation Guide"

"Business Against Domestic Violence Policy Development and Implementation Guide"

"Business Against Domestic Violence Policy Development and Implementation Guide" introduced

A conference was held on Tuesday, December 15, 2015 to reveal and introduce a guide issued by the Sabancı University Corporate Governance Forum to help businesses act against violence suffered by their woman employees in their personal relationships. Dr. Sema Ramazanoğlu, Turkish Minister of Family and Social Policy, spoke in the conference for introducing the guide developed in partnership with TÜSİAD and the support of the UN Population Fund and Sabancı Foundation.

A new step was taken in the Business Against Domestic Violence project implemented by the Sabancı University Corporate Governance Forum. The Sabancı University Corporate Governance Forum prepared a “Business Against Domestic Violence Policy Development and Implementation Guide” for the project.

The guide developed in partnership with TÜSİAD and the support of the UN Population Fund and Sabancı Foundation, and revealed on Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at the Istanbul Chamber of Industry Assembly Hall.

Introductory remarks were delivered by Dr. Sema Ramazanoğlu, Minister of Family and Social Policy; TÜSİAD Chairperson Cansen Başaran Symes, and UNFPA Turkey Representative and Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia Regional Director Karl Kulessa.

Introductory remarks were followed by a panel discussion moderated by TÜSİAD Gender Equality Working Group President Nur Ger. The guide was presented by Sabancı University Corporate Governance Forum Director Melsa Ararat. Further information was given about the implementation of the guide and best practices discussed in the document.

Zero tolerance for violence is critical both in legislation and implementation

TÜSİAD Chairperson Cansen Başaran Symes argued that legislation on violence against women must contain deterring sanctions and "zero tolerance of violence" must be reflected both on the legislation and its implementation.

Symes explained that, according to a global survey, 30% of the woman population, or 723 million women, were victims of violence, and according to a study by the Ministry of Family and Social Policy and Hacettepe University, 4 out of 10 women in Turkey suffer physical or sexual violence from their partners at one point in their lives, and one out of four women are victims of economic violence. Symes mentioned child marriages and the issues caused by this practice.

Symes said that the vicious circle which makes women insecure and vulnerable to violence in the society must be thoroughly disintegrated, continuing "Legal protection against violence to women and the proper implementation of laws has been a part of government programs and important steps have been taken recently. But we also know that unless everything written in legislation fully adopted by people, it is very difficult to put it in practice."

Symes said that Turkey was the first country to sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention on preventing domestic violence and violence against women, which brought great responsibility.

"Özgecan Aslan became a symbol that united the society"

Cansen Başaran-Symes explained that steps towards including gender equality in school curricula, combating child marriages, measures to protect against violence, counseling services, woman-friendly cities, and initiatives to empower women in education, professional life and the society were all parts of the solution.

Expressing her belief that public authorities, the private sector and nongovernmental organizations need to unite in a stance for preventing violence against women and protecting sufferers of violence, Symes said that everyone must work in their respective fields to support permanent and sustainable projects.

Discussing the murder of Özgecan Aslan, Symes continued: "Having departed life in a shattering tragedy this year, Özgecan Aslan became a symbol that united the society against violence towards women. As TÜSİAD, we decided to take responsibility and do our part by supporting the 'Business Against Domestic Violence' project initiated previously by the Sabancı University Corporate Governance Forum. This is where businesses, and not the government, have a major part to play. We at TÜSİAD firmly believe that 'Violence Against Women' must absolutely be a subchapter of all corporate policies."

"The Guide is a resource for making corporate policy"

Symes emphasized the Business Against Domestic Violence Policy Development and Implementation Guide as a resource for companies when developing corporate policies.

Symes also mentioned that TÜSİAD would provide strong support for the recognition and implementation of the guide, undertake efforts to ensure that all TÜSİAD members adopt the guide and that they have secured the support of TÜRKONFED for the dissemination and adoption of the guide across companies in Anatolia.  Symes explained that they would conduct information meetings with companies in 2016 and share the progress and the experiences of the companies that chose to adopt the guide in December of the same year.

"Women continue to be subjected to violence regardless of seniority or education"

UNFPA Turkey Representative and Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia Regional Director Karl Kulessa said that gender-based violence was a widespread and threatening issue that reflects and exacerbates the inequality between women and men. Kulessa said that gender-based violence was the most prevalent violation of human rights around the world.

Remarking on gender inequality in the workforce, among other instances of gender inequality in life, Kulessa said “The participation of women in the workforce is 30% while in men this is 70% (TÜİK workforce statistics, 2015). Unemployment among men is 9.7% while unemployment among women is 13%: One of the reasons why women find so little representation in the labor market is the possibility of encountering gender-based violence in the workplace."

Karl Kulessa explained that violence against women as a byproduct of gender equality was a prevalent issue in Turkey as it was worldwide. Referring to the "Business Against Domestic Violence" survey, Kulessa said that women were being subjected to physical, psychological and economic violence regardless of their status in the workforce. He noted that the situation was exacerbated by cultural norms, the fear of losing their jobs as well as embarrassment, while the lack of support mechanisms to utilize in the case of violence did not help the situation.

Kulessa concluded, “We hope that this guide will assist companies that want to create violence-free workplaces. The UN Population Fund will continue to support this and all other initiatives that combat gender-based violence in the workplace."

Women must be supported with affirmative action in all areas

Turkish Minister of Family and Social Policy Sema Ramazanoğlu told the story of how she took up politics. Minister Ramazanoğlu said, “Back then, I was a general practitioner where my experiences had led me to question what was happening about women in Turkey. I told myself that besides serving the community as a physician, there was lots to do for women and girls. I then became a specialist and I was assigned by the Ministry of Health to work in various hospitals around the country. I realized that I needed to do more than medical practice, and I began working in nongovernmental organizations. These were NGOs that did joint work on health and women's issues. I was treating patients and fulfilling my social responsibilities in NGOs when certain turn of events became signs to me that women must also be involved in politics in Turkey. That is when I realized that more action needed to be taken for women and girls in this society. Politics is the sphere where one can be the most active. As a result, I became a founder of the Justice and Development Party fifteen years ago."

Minister Ramazanoğlu pointed out three main causes of violence: "First are sociological and cultural reasons; second are legal and economic reasons; and third is the role given to women by the society. From the sociological perspective, the regard of women must be improved and women must be brought to the foreground with their achievements in social life, economics, politics and law, much like men always are. With respect to culture, women must be viewed in a different way, the position of women in our culture must be accurately explained, and wrong opinions or knowledge must be set right. Legally, women have been neglected and cast out of economic and social life in many societies. This later became the main reason why those societies remained economically and culturally backward. As regards economic rights, women in male-dominant societies are severely disadvantaged as they are excluded from professional life. We need ongoing political and economic support to advance women's education, improve their job skills, help them raise children, and be a part of professional life. It must be kept in mind that a woman is a mother above all. This is exactly why women must be supported with affirmative action in all areas - legal, economic, social and cultural."

Common language against violence is critical

Sema Ramazanoğlu argued that the cultural values of societies revealed their regard of women, continuing “At a time when there is unprecedented interaction between cultures, it is critical to build a common language against violence. Our culture and tradition, our moral and religious values, our regard of the human and the society reject violence of all kinds. The fact that violence is still a great obstacle for women in business despite all of this reveals that we are facing a serious issue.

"Zero tolerance" in sanctions

Sema Ramazanoğlu said, "Together, we started a new era in the protection of the family and the prevention of violence against women. We adopted a policy of "zero tolerance" in sanctions, and made Constitutional amendments that reinforce the economic and social status of women. The CEDAW Convention became the prevailing document above national regulations. Provisions which ensure that all acts of sexual harassment and sexual assault will be punished serve to protect working women. We are carefully monitoring the statistics. The data shows us the way and bears strategic importance for generating solutions. We are also conducting scientific research on the matter, evaluating results, and taking the required steps."

Legal framework creates issues for companies

Introductory remarks were followed by presentations of new implementation and best practices led by TÜSİAD Gender Equality Working Group President Nur Ger.  Sabancı University Corporate Governance Forum Director Melsa Ararat presented the "Business Against Domestic Violence Policy Development and Implementation Guide."  Melsa Ararat said that employers have questions about the legal framework of the issue due to violence being qualified as "domestic."  The Guide summarizes the legal framework as follows: "Laws and legislation provide all the legal grounds for adopting measures that will prevent domestic violence and protect victims of domestic violence, in reference to both the diligence and loyalty obligations of company directors, and to compliance with corporate governance principles.  In addition to practices that are required and supported by laws and legislation and apply to affiliates and subsidiaries, companies may develop projects that extend beyond the boundaries of the company as part of their social responsibility efforts."

Garanti Bank was discussed as an Example of New Implementation of the Guide. Speaking on the subject was Garanti Bank Employer Brand Manager Nurdan Taş. SUTEKS and Yeşim Tekstil were studied as Examples of Best Practices in the Guide. Speakers were Nur Ger from SUTEKS and Dilek Cesur from Yeşim Tekstil.

"Business Against Domestic Violence Policy Development and Implementation Guide"

The foreword to the guide was written by TÜSİAD Chairperson Cansen Başaran Symes and UNFPA Turkey Representative and Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia Regional Director Karl Kulessa.

• The guide focuses on the violence suffered by women in personal relationships, either currently or in the past, and its impact on work and the workplace.
• The guide includes details on how to create a corporate policy to combat violence against women, and provides sample policies for adoption or adaptation by companies.
• The best practices section summarizes policies and efforts of companies in Turkey and abroad regarding their work in violence against women.
• The guide includes steps, tools and methods, and successful implementation examples from companies that have adopted gender equality as a workplace principle, which will provide input to policies and procedures which will ensure that employees and the workplace is affected by domestic violence against women at a minimal level.
• The guide also refers to projects which seek to contribute to the social struggle against violence and are implemented by companies as part of their social responsibility efforts.

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Second Hakan Orbay Research Awards given

Second Hakan Orbay Research Awards given

The winners of the Hakan Orbay Research Awards, given by the Sabancı University School of Management in honor of faculty member Hakan Orbay who passed away in 2011, received their prizes at a meeting held on Thursday, December 10, 2015.

Hakan Orbay Araştırma Ödülleri’nin ikincisi verildi

Designed to support young researchers of finance and microeconomics in creating original work, the award received 16 submissions from the leading universities of Turkey and the world this year. 12 submissions were received from Turkey, 2 from the United States, 1 from the UK, and 1 from Hong Kong. Four of the 16 applicants were PhD students while 12 were faculty members. 12 articles were in the field of economics and 6 in finance. Among articles in economics, which were assessed based on their theoretical or empirical studies in finance or microeconomics, 9 were based on theoretical analysis and 3 on empirical studies. Among articles in finance, 1 was theoretical while 5 were empirical-based.

This year's first prize went to Naveen Jindal School of Management, University of Texas at Dallas faculty Ümit Gürkan Gürün with his paper “Resident Networks and Firm Trade.” Mehmet İhsan Canayaz from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford came second with “Is the revolving door of Washington a back door to excess corporate returns?” and Koç University faculty Cem Demiroğlu came third with “Indicators of Collateral Misreporting.”

Hakan Orbay Araştırma Ödülleri’nin ikincisi verildi

Introductory remarks of the event were delivered by Sabancı University School of Management Dean Professor Füsun Ülengin and Sabancı University President Professor Nihat Berker. Professor Berker expressed his happiness at having had a valubale faculty member like Hakan Orbay work for Sabancı University, saying "We will always be here for Hakan, so Hakan will always be here, among us."

Hakan Orbay’s wife Benan Zeki Orbay said “It was very difficult to make a selection this year because all submissions were of particular quality. It is moving that one of the winners is Hakan's former student. I'm thankful to Sabancı University for keeping Hakan's legacy alive. It also matters to my children that their father lives on with this award program.

Also speaking at the event was Hakan Orbay’s father Güner Orbay. Güner Orbay said, “Remembering Hakan at such an event and hearing such beautiful words spoken for him is an astonishing feeling. Hakan was a man of irreplaceable intellect. Learning was his greatest passion. His love for reading knew no bounds. Thank you for holding this meeting for Hakan."

Ümit Gürkan Gürün, winner of the Research Award, began by saying that Hakan Orbay was his professor in 1998. Speaking of what Hakan Orbay did for him, Gürün said, “He wrote my reference letter when I was applying for my PhD. He not only wrote excellent letters, but he guided me as well. His forthcoming assistance changed my life. Whenever we talk about Hakan Bey as his former students, we always remember him with love."

Hakan Orbay Araştırma Ödülleri’nin ikincisi verildi

Third Prize winner Cem Demiroğlu said that although he never had a chance to meet Hakan Orbay, he knew that Orbay was a very successful scholar who was also greatly appreciated. Demiroğlu said, “Hakan Orbay would have been proud if he was among us today. And I admire Sabancı University for holding their faculty members in such high regard."

Winners received their prizes from Sabancı University President Professor Nihat Berker and Sabancı University School of Management Dean Professor Füsun Ülengin.

This year's jury panel consisted of Istanbul Bilgi University Faculty Member Zeki Orbay, Sabancı University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences members Eren İnci and İzak Atiyas, Sabancı University School of Management faculty member Koray Deniz Şimşek, Aziz Şimşir, Yiğit Atılgan, Melsa Ararat and Nakiye Boyacıgiller.

Achievement by Faculty Member Arzu Kıbrıs

Achievement by Faculty Member Arzu Kıbrıs

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences member Arzu Kıbrıs became one of the two people in Turkey to receive “ERC Starting Grant” in humanities and social sciences with her project "Exposure to Political Violence and Individual Behavior".

Achievement by Faculty Member Arzu Kıbrıs

Arzu Kıbrıs, professor of Political Science in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, received an ERC Starting Grant, which is one of the most prestigious scientific research support awards of the European Union. Arzu Kıbrıs’ project "Exposure to Political Violence and Individual Behavior" will receive European Research Council funding for five years. 

The project, as its title suggests, investigates the impact of being exposed to political violence on the political, economic and social behavior of individuals in the Turkish example. 

Arzu Kıbrıs’ project is also significant for being one of the first two humanities and social sciences projects that receive ERC funding in Turkey. The EU awards these grants to scholars residing in member or candidate states with the prerequisite that the project is implemented within a country that is also a member or candidate state. The ERC Starting Grant is a highly competitive program and the European Research Council is extremely selective in awarding grants.  Projects must be innovative, interdisciplinary, and possess great potential for contributing to science. 

Sabancı University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences member Arzu Kıbrıs conducts research on the social consequences of political violence. She is a member of the Network of European Peace Scientists Board of Directors and an editor of the “Peace Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy” journal, one of the key scientific publications in peace studies.

Dr. Fatih Birol's COP21 Message

Dr. Fatih Birol's COP21 Message

IICEC Istanbul International Center for Energy and Climate Honorary Chairman and International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Dr. Fatih Birol: "Transforming the energy sector is essential for addressing the climate change."


Dr. Fatih Birol's COP21 Message

IICEC Istanbul International Center for Energy and Climate Honorary Chairman and International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Dr. Fatih Birol, one of the most influential individuals in energy named by Forbes magazine, had a special message from the COP21 Climate Conference:

“Energy production and use account for two-thirds of global gas emissions causing climate change. Therefore, energy needs to be at the heart of the climate agreement coming from Paris. Transforming the energy sector is essential for addressing the climate change.

“As far as I see, we will get a very strong signal from Paris for the energy sector in order to increase our use of renewable energy and using energy more efficiently. And I hope, in addition to those, we will get a long-term goal for the temperature increase which could provide a signal for the energy investors. 

“Is 1.5 °C feasible and possible? I think it is a must for many countries in the world, to survive. But even today, reaching 2 °C requires tremendous amount of political will and huge efforts to transform the energy sector. If all the countries come together and unite for the transformation of energy, we can definitely reach that target if it is set by the governments and if there is an agreement which has a legal basis.”

IEA's special reports for COP21 are available in the link below:

http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/COP21_Resilience_Brochure.pdf

https://www.iea.org/media/presentations/Energy_Matters_brochure.PDF

Please click below for the WEO 2015 Special Report on Energy and Climate Change.

http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/WEO2015SpecialReportonEnergyandClimateChange.pdf

Sabancı University was one of the two Turkish universities accredited for COP21, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change 21st Conference of Parties, that ended in Paris on December 12, 2015.

Sabancı University was invited to the Paris Climate Summit (COP21) for its extensive work on energy and climate policies since established. Sabancı University Corporate Governance Forum Projects Coordinator and CDP Turkey Projects Manager Mirhan Köroğlu Göğüş was also among the Turkish Official Delegation.

Sabancı University maintains climate policy efforts under IICEC (Istanbul International Center for Energy and Climate), IPC (Istanbul Policy Center), and the Corporate Governance Forum with the contribution of expert researchers. Observers from Sabancı University provided public information during and after the summit as a reference institution, and contributed to nongovernmental bodies and decision-making authorities for new policies.

Applications to Manufacturing Engineering Program (MSc / PHD)

Applications to Manufacturing Engineering Program (MSc / PHD)
Applications to Manufacturing Engineering Program (MSc / PHD) has been extended until 14 December 2015.

You may check application conditions from the link below:
http://www.sabanciuniv.edu/en/admission-requirements-for-graduate-school...

Please click for online application.

Report On Cıtızenshıp In Turkey And The World

Report On Cıtızenshıp In Turkey And The World

Sabancı University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences member Professor Ersin Kalaycıoğlu and Koç University Faculty Member Professor Ali Çarkoğlu authored a report titled "Citizenship in Turkey and the World" as part of the International Social Survey Program (ISSP).

The ISSP 2014 field survey was conducted between February 13th and April 6th, 2015 with face-to-face interviews with 1509 respondents in 58 provinces. A press conference was held to share findings on citizenship in Turkey, the perception of relationships between the individual and the state, and the attitudes and expectations regarding these. 

Implemented in 43 countries, the survey in Turkey sought to define citizenship and answer questions related to paying taxes, obeying laws, tolerance of differences, support for elections, and solidarity.  A presentation of the report “Citizenship in Turkey and the World” and an analysis of findings were given by Professor Ali Çarkoğlu and Professor Ersin Kalaycıoğlu. The key conclusion of the report can be summarized as follows: 

The definition of a "good citizen of democracy" in Turkey, in the own words and views of the citizens (respondents) seemed to consist of: 

1. Paying special care to take part in the elections,

2. Full payment of taxes, 

3. Seeking to live according to the law, 

4. Being tolerant of ethical values and differences, 

5. Finding it important to aid others in worse financial situation.  

A closer look at political participation, one of the key reflections of the notion of citizenship on politics, reveals a situation vastly different from such consolidated democracies covered in the ISSP surveys as the United States, UK, Switzerland and Scandinavia. The tendency to take part in petitioning, rallies, assemblies, and demonstrations, which define the content of more direct and unconventional political participation, is very low.

A tremendous majority also avoids ways of conventional political participation such as contacting public officials in Turkey, where the behavior that is considered the most congruent with the attitudes summarized above is voting. Among conventional ways of political participation, participation in national, local, Presidential elections is the most prevalent in Turkey, and other ways are significantly less popular compared to consolidated democracies cited above.

The report also reveals that associatiability and generalized interpersonal trust occur at much lower levels in Turkey as opposed to consolidated democracies.  As an example, the number of voting age citizens in Turkey who are active members of voluntary associations is between 4 to 8% of the population, while 90% are not members of any voluntary association. 

Considering social contacts and involvement, there seems to be little interaction among individuals.  These findings correlate to the shallowness of trust-based relationships, and point out that citizenship in Turkey has a very limited capacity of forming social networks and interaction-based partnerships in order to accumulate social capital. As a result, associatiability and establishing partnerships are difficult and such initiatives are short-lived. This leads to a dearth of social capital which prevents political participation from being effective and makes voting the only means of mass participation in Turkish politics. 

An interesting point is that although political involvement is largely limited to consistently voting in elections, the feeling of political efficacy in Turkish citizens is remarkably high and on par with that in consolidated democracies. Given the lack of citizen-politician interaction at a level of diversity and effectiveness that would explain the presence of such a feeling, the report argues that the feeling is there because of constant media focus on election results, romanticizing them as the "national will." Otherwise, it is noted that data that may correspond to the belief that an unfair law could be repealed as a result of an initiative started by a citizen is mostly nonexistent, and there are few respondents who state that such a thing could be possible. 

Consolidated democracies included in the ISSP surveys show a declining emphasis on political parties and elections as institutions of political representation in 2004. While engagement in political parties as the fundamental institutions of representative democracy decreases, engagement and involvement in referendums as a means of direct participation were on the rise in consolidated democracies in Europe, North America and Oceania in 2004. These findings indicate that political involvement grows as representative democracy is weakened and citizens display an inclination towards direct democracy. The report notes that a similar process is in effect in Turkey as of 2014, although not at a rate that is comparable to consolidated democracies in 2004. 

Another key finding in the report is that the number of Turkish respondents who believe that politicians favor their personal interests over public benefit is proportionally greater in Turkey than the respondents in the majority of ISSP member countries. At a time when there is heated debate about corruption issues in Turkey, such responses reveal that these debates do not receive special consideration. This percentage is also low in Brazil, Bulgaria, South Africa, Hungary and Russia, which may indicate that the question does not simply measure the trust in politicians. An interesting contradiction is that the proportion of citizens who believe that politicians only work for their personal gain is higher in Nordic countries, United States, UK, Switzerland, Western Germany, Canada and Australia, where allegations of corruption in politics is relatively less, than the proportion in Turkey and similar countries.  This may be further evidence of a decline in trust of elected officials as the principal actors of representative democracy, even in nations with consolidated democracies. From the perspective of the Turkish citizens who attach great importance to elections, the trust in and regard of administration by officials that are elected as a result are not as low as the levels seen in the UK, Switzerland, France and United States. 

Citizen opinion of the overall effectiveness of democracy reveals a very different view. In Turkey, the number of citizens who believe that the democracy works well is almost equal to those who believe that democracy does not work well (both around 40% of the population).  There is significant improvement (9%) in this perception compared to a decade ago. Nevertheless, not much change can be expected in this indicator when compared to expectations about whether the democracy will be better or worse in ten years. It is fairly obvious that the democracy is not perceived as working very well in Turkey in contrast to ISSP member nations and consolidated democracies in particular. Therefore it should come as no surprise if demands are voiced to improve the quality of democracy in Turkey over the next decade.  

  

Likeminds: German-Turkish Junior Expert Initiative Program Application

Likeminds: German-Turkish Junior Expert Initiative Program Application

Istanbul Policy Center, Europaische Akademie Berlin and Robert Bosch Stiftung Initiative accept applications for the program entitled Likeminds: German-Turkish Junior Expert Initiative for 2016.

Already in its sixth year, the likeminds: German-Turkish Junior Expert Initiative will bring together binational experts under the title “Searching Security in the Age of Human Needs and Global Necessities.” The program is a result of the partnership of the Istanbul Policy Center and the European Academy in Berlin and is supported financially by the Robert Bosch Stiftung. The program is organised and conducted by Prof. Bahri Yilmaz.

Please click here for details and application.

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