The Scientific Committee established by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change to inspect pollution in Izmir Bay has held its first meeting to create an urgent action plan.
In the opening of the meeting held at the Izmir Economic Congress building, Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Fatma Varank stated that the fish deaths in Izmir Bay pose a significant threat not only to the regional ecosystem but also to the country’s biodiversity, the fishing sector and the sustainability of coastal communities.
Varank highlighted that this threat prompted them to gather and act together, stating: “The fish deaths remind us once again of the multifaceted and complex nature of environmental issues; this incident signals a crisis involving various sectors, from climate change and water quality to urban pollution and the degradation of marine ecosystems. Therefore, the solutions developed for this issue must be based on scientific foundations and implemented with the participation of all stakeholders.”
Varank recalled that Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum had instructed the creation of a road map for urgent actions, and within this framework, the decision was made to initially form the Izmir Bay Scientific Committee with scientists and officials.
She announced that an urgent action plan for Izmir Bay will be disclosed by the end of September, saying: “Today, in the first meeting of the Izmir Bay Coordination Board. We are gathering to form working groups with Scientific Committee members and to start urgent action plan work. In the meetings we will hold today and tomorrow, we will shape our urgent action plan in light of scientific data, identifying steps to protect the ecosystem of Izmir Bay and prevent the recurrence of such incidents.”
“Our ministry is fully committed to environmental protection, and we believe that the results emerging from this will play a crucial role in achieving our goal of leaving a more livable environment for future generations,” she said.
Varank also noted that the Scientific Committee, consisting of 35 academics, will continue its work under three main headings: “Climate Change and Nature-Based Solutions Working Group,” “Wastewater Infrastructure and Streams Working Group” and “Marine Area Assessment and Ecosystem Improvement Working Group.”
Acknowledging the very limited time frame for the work, Varank concluded: “Our urgent action plan, shaped by the valuable work and expertise of our scientists, will be further developed into long-term and medium-term action plans, with finalization expected by the end of November. The prepared action plan will include the necessary steps to pass on a healthy Izmir Bay to future generations and will serve as a guide for those responsible.”
Following this, the closed meeting was attended by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay and representatives from relevant institutions.
