The fourth of the “Sustainable Future in Exports” meetings of Garanti BBVA held in Bursa
Considering sustainability and inclusive growth as one of its main strategies, Garanti BBVA is continuing series of 'Sustainable Future in Exports' events to support our country’s adaptation to the European Green Deal and to pave the way for sustainable investments. The fourth destination of the meetings, initially organized in Istanbul, Gaziantep, and İzmir, was Bursa. The event, which brought together prominent companies operating in Bursa, Turkey's third-largest city in terms of export volume, featured discussions and insights on the European Green Deal and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. At the gathering hosted by Garanti BBVA's General Manager, Recep Baştuğ, Professor Dr. Etem Karakaya, a lecturer in the Department of Economics at Eskişehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, provided insights into the economic aspects of the European Green Deal and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
Garanti BBVA General Manager Recep Baştuğ, when evaluating Bursa's readiness for the changes outlined in the European Green Deal and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, shared his perspective during the Sustainable Future in Export meeting saying, “Garanti BBVA has been unwaveringly committed to sustainability for more than 17 years. The climate crisis is arriving with a force beyond our expectations, and its impacts are becoming evident everywhere. We are on track to reach the global warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2025-2026. This shows that we have reached a point of no return. Consequently, our mission is twofold: to proactively take measures before the situation deteriorates further and to expedite efforts towards creating a habitable world. Therefore, I firmly believe that our commitment to combatting the climate crisis should extend to our water management strategies. Presently, the per capita availability of clean water stands at 1,500 liters, but this is projected to decline to 1,100 liters by 2030, positioning Turkey among countries grappling with water scarcity. The climate crisis will bring both enduring and immediate repercussions. In the short term, one of the challenges facing our exporters is the financial aspect of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026. Bursa, much like numerous other cities in Turkey, is poised to experience the impact of this regulation. However, Bursa is a city with a strong environmental consciousness, and our industrialists are taking precautions.”