British Council, UN Joint Programme On Enhancing the Capacity of Turkey to Adapt to Climate Change and EC Info Centres in Turkey introduced a joint initiative called “Climate Arena” – inspiring discussion on climate change history, facts, rumors and debates going on nationally & globally by prominent scientists, academics, NGO representatives in 7 more cities in 6 districts of Turkey. First debate took place at Middle East Technical University on 5 April 2010 and 2nd event took place at ITU on 13th of May 2010.

The third of the series of “Climate Arena” was held in Van on 25 November with the panelists; Prof. Mustafa Sarı from the Department of Aquatic Products, Faculty of Agriculture of the 100. Yıl University; Town Council Secretary Att. Murat Timur; Head of Journalists’ Society of Lake Van, Ferit Hayva; and UN Joint Program Manager Atila Uras. At the meeting with around 70 participants from university students, local media and public agencies and organizations, the issues addressed included the concepts and the effects of climate change in Turkey and specifically in Van, how Lake Van is affected from climate change, the need to incorporate climate change into urban action plans, and the role of the media in raising awareness on those issues.

The “Climate Arena” then headed to Trabzon on 30th of November 2010, the panelists were Dean of Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Marine Sciences, Prof. Ertuğ Düzgüneş; representatives of newspapers Vira Trabzon and Cumhuriyet dailiy Ahmet Şefik Mollamehmetoğlu; Hazar Dilaver from the Association of Environmental and Cultural Initiatives; and UN Joint Program Manager Atila Uras. The panel addressed the effects of climate change started to be seen in Trabzon, such as the irregularity in the precipitation, increasing floods, increasing temperatures, and its effects of increasing temperatures on fishing, which is a major source of income in the region. Participants also discussed issues such as the deforestation in rural areas, the water levels of rivers dropping every year, hydroelectric power station and the foreshore fillings in coastal areas, and expressed that these problems would likely escalate with the added effects of the climate change.

After Trabzon, the “Climate Arena” was in Konya on 2nd of December. The effects of climate change on water resources and agriculture in the Konya Closed Basin where water sources are scarce and the demand for water is high were evaluated by Selçuk University Environmental Engineering Department Head Prof. Mehmet Emin Aydın, Konya Provincial Environment and Forestry Acting Director Namık Ceyhan, Executive Editor of Yeni Meram newspaper Oğuz Akçakoca, Prof. Meryem Beklioğlu from METU Biology Department and UN Joint Program Manager Atila Uras.

The “Climate Arena” will visit Gaziantep on 20 December 2010, Mersin on 11 January 2011, Şanlıurfa on 27 January 2011 and Denizli on 21 February 2011.

The best selected 26 photos from “Capture Climate Change” photography competition - which is an idea of Climate Advocates - will accompany Climate Arena discussion series by staying a week in each city.