Local Leaders Highlight Sustainability Efforts at Konya Conference

The Directorate for EU Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Konya Governorship, Konya Metropolitan Municipality, and Mevlana Development Agency (MEVKA), organized the “Local Opportunities for a Green Future and Digital Transformation Conference.”

Speaking at the opening of the conference held at the Mevlana Cultural Center by the Metropolitan Municipality, MEVKA Secretary General İhsan Bostancı emphasized that Konya, the capital of agriculture, is among the provinces most affected by the water stress and drought threats caused by climate change, making it one of the most climate-vulnerable regions. He stated, “Therefore, the green transformation is not a matter of choice but a necessity for our city. It is also significant and valuable that the Directorate for EU Affairs is organizing its first event outside Ankara on this topic here in Konya.”

Selçuklu Mayor Ahmet Pekyatırmacı stated, “This is also a very important agenda for us. In all national and international meetings we attend, we prioritize both green transformation and digital transformation on a global scale and strive to carry out significant projects in these areas. As local administrations, we are also conducting serious efforts, allocating substantial resources, and making considerable investments,” as he outlined the initiatives undertaken by the Selçuklu Municipality on the subject.

Karatay Mayor Hasan Kılca stated that they continue to monitor and support the process together with the Metropolitan Municipality and all other municipalities, saying, “MEVKA, in particular, is always by our side in these projects. Local administrations have significant responsibilities here. As you know, the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals are grouped under 17 headings, and I believe that by aligning our strategic plans with these 17 goals, we will also achieve the necessary progress on issues related to climate change.”

Konya Metropolitan Mayor Uğur İbrahim Altay stated that the program reflects the determination to build Turkey and Konya of the future, saying, “The era we live in is no longer defined solely by production; it requires taking responsibility for what we produce. In this regard, we are on the threshold of a new era that prioritizes efficiency over waste, green transformation over environmental pollution, and a sense of stewardship over mere consumption. As Konya, we derive this awareness from the depths of our history. With the words of Mevlâna, ‘Yesterday is gone with yesterday, my dear; today we must say new things,’ we view green development not just as an environmental policy, but as a responsibility of civilization.”

Mayor Altay continued his speech by highlighting projects implemented by the Konya Metropolitan Municipality, including the Zero Carbon Buildings Project, the integration of household waste from 31 districts into the economy, solid waste disposal sites, solar power plant projects, advanced biological wastewater treatment facilities introduced to districts, and Turkey’s first “Purple Network,” along with other examples of renewable energy and climate-friendly transportation systems.