The online seminar titled “Recent Developments in Climate Change and Sustainability”, organized by the ÇEVKO Foundation in collaboration with the Global Warming Summit Committee, took place on October 21, 2024.
The third speaker at the seminar was Dr. Alp Özdemir, Associate Head of the Environmental Engineering Department at Eskişehir Technical University. Dr. Özdemir shared insights from a new study published last September, which examined the Earth's climate history over the past 485 million years. He noted that until 1911, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) had never exceeded 300 ppm for thousands of years. However, an upward trend in CO₂ levels has been observed since that date, accelerating significantly over the past 70 years and reaching 422 ppm today. Dr. Özdemir emphasized that this increase is primarily human-induced.
Highlighting carbon dioxide as one of the most impactful greenhouse gases in global warming, he explained that the accumulation of these gases in the atmosphere leads to global warming, which subsequently results in climate change. Dr. Özdemir outlined the wide-ranging effects of climate change, such as the growing threats to food production and the risk of migration within ecosystems. He also pointed out the increasing frequency of unexpected weather events. Stressing the urgency of transitioning to clean energy and adopting a circular economy approach, he remarked that these strategies are essential to reducing fossil fuel-based greenhouse gas emissions.
Finally, Dr. Özdemir underlined the critical importance of fostering individual awareness and ensuring lasting participation in sustainability and climate change mitigation efforts. He mentioned their involvement in a European Union project, supported by the National Agency, in collaboration with Portugal and Spain. This project, “Lifelong Learning for Sustainability: From Campus to Daily Life (LEAF)”, reflects the increasing need for initiatives of this kind. The LEAF project aims to develop an information and awareness-based framework that encourages individuals to internalize sustainability concepts. Through this framework, the project seeks to empower people to make small changes in their daily habits, thereby contributing to sustainability practices and climate change mitigation while fostering positive behavioral shifts toward sustainability responsibility.
Link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ0a7gR5hqo
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