I arrived in Adana on a Thursday evening with a group of staff from the UN and British Council’s Ankara offices. After collecting our luggage, we headed out and were greeted by a thick and heavy smog. We knowingly exchanged looks amongst us, as we were there to attend the 7th annual Climate Arena debate. One of the locals later explained that the offending smog has been caused by city’s use of coal burning heaters. We were witnessing firsthand how bad the air quality was in Adana and how this affected the city as a whole. The sites we saw very much mirrored the scenes that were captured by amateur photographers for the British Council’s photography competition.

After we enjoyed some renowned Adana cuisine at one of the city’s most famous restaurants (I am keeping the name to myself so as not to be seen as providing free advertisement, but local culinary enthusiasts can drop me an e-mail to be enlightened)a slight breeze cleared out the skies and a beautiful city was revealed in front of our eyes. Adana’s scenery gave us city planning envy; the huge parks positioned alongside the Seyhan River were awe inspiring.

The British Council’s Climate Arena, cleverly named after a local TV show in which tough questions are directed to political figures, is also designed around the same principle; we invite prominent academics and representatives of organisations working on climate issue in Turkey to be questioned by a keen audience. After the debate, we invited all participants to view the British Council’s “Capture Climate Change” photography exhibition consisting of 26 stunning images taken around Turkey.

The UN’s own photography exhibition, “Come on Girls ! Let’s take pictures” provided an additional 24 photos taken by young school girls, aged between 7 to 14 years. The aim of this exhibition was to enable young women, who will of course be the Mother’s of the future, to display what they have learn today about climate issues and nature generally.

There is one thing in particular that made Adana meeting extra special. The UN took this opportunity to introduced a newly made documentary about their long running projects around the Seyhan River Basin. In the documentary, titled Journey to the Seyhan River Basin, we saw 18 different projects devised to protect and preserve the Seyhan River Basin.

Producer of the film, Coşkun Aral, was in attendance at this premier so we had a chance to chat with him about climate issues from his journalistic point of view. Coşkun Aral is perhaps better known for the “Haberci” TV program and from his photographs taken in war zones. He was kind enough to answer my amateurish journalistic questions below...

Çelik Özüduru (ÇÖ) -- Mr. Coşkun, what was the first indication of climate change in the Turkish media?

Coşkun Aral (CA) - You may remember the TV campaigns regarding erosion and dangers at wetlands from years back. Those were actually the first signs in Turkey that climate change is in play in our region, although the climate theme was not in the message itself. People understood the danger of climate change anyway when they saw the after effects on their TV screens. Those messages on TV helped our own people to understand the fact that these kinds of problems are taking place in our homeland; this is not a crisis of an unfortunate far away land. Today, when we flip through magazines and newspapers we see that they are widely covered yet we do not know how many readers are actually interested in these topics. Generally, people just take a look but do not take any action.

ÇÖ – Looking at climate issues from the perspective of financial gains, what do you see?

CA - Look at the most affluent countries in the world, the USA for example. Although, they are blamed for their reckless economic development plans – huge factories, gas guzzling SUVs etc. – they are the ones who heavily invest in the scientific research into climate change issues. They are the ones documenting and showing people what has been happening. They figured out that by simplifying the scientific language they could get the public’s interest. Therefore they film the best documentaries and provide the strongest opposition to careless business owners.

Here in Turkey, I do not see any movement in our intellectual circles. We keep our media’s agenda focussed on simple matters that keep the public occupied for a week or so then a new scandal emerges. However, newspapers should leave their circulation figure concerns aside and focus more on richer content and tap into child-like curiosity and chase news. On the other hand, public appreciates commercial successes. We are doomed to consume more. Our mere existence is almost entirely built on this consumption frenzy.

ÇÖ - Today, we watched your new documentary, Journey to the Seyhan River Basin, do we see the same messages in the film?

CA - Sure we try to give the same messages. This documentary is the first of its kind though. While filming, I learned, for example, that there are 2 kinds of sole fish in our seas and the wrong kind that are being limited. The one that has a commercial merit can be captured and sold while the other one is prospering. We documented this and showed our viewer the process of correcting this mistake.

ÇÖ - How do you think we can reach out to more people so as to inform them about the climate issue?

CA - Well, you have to show them what this is all about. First of all, academics have to find an easy to understand language to use otherwise this issue is deemed to stay as an academic topic. Scientists need to zero in on the human factors on climate change and promote change in human behaviour is we are to successfully tackle this issue. If we cannot show the signs of adaptations, then any results will be weak. Adaptation should be implemented using good knowledge. Planting the wrong trees just for the sake of seeing greenery will lead us the same disasters when we act irresponsibly.

ÇÖ - What part of the British Council’s Science Project do you think holds the biggest appeal for the general public?

CA - What you have done is something unique in Turkey; you actually showed people the effects of climate change here. Before this project, the only visuals we looked at were the ones captured in the North Pole or in other countries struck badly by the side effects of climate changes. Yet, the photos taken by your contestants force us to look at shots framed within the borders of Turkey. This is very important. You have to show people what it means to them personally. That is where I challenge academics for not being able to communicate with the public and to them via the media.

ÇÖ - Along with our climate photos, today we will also see UN’s photo exhibition. We know that you were also involved in that project. Can you tell us more about it?

CA - What they did is also very important; they worked with children. You have to work with them if you want to make a change in the future. I know this from experience as I have an 8 year old daughter. Children’s curiosity is a wonderful thing and we have to feed that curiosity if we want to leave something behind. I was a consultant and taught these young minds the basics of photography. When I saw their photographs I was deeply impressed by their interpretation of nature and its beauty. Now that we have given them a clearer appreciation of this delicate beauty, we are hoping that they will teach their offspring the same values.

My conversation with Mr. Coşkun was interrupted by the start of the Climate Arena meeting.On this evening the Climate Arena was hosting a first timer, Fulya Somunkıranoğlu, Head of the Ministry of Environment & Forestry’s Climate Change Office which was established in July 2010. She highlighted the fact that Turkey is 12 year behind in any related work around climate change, yet the Turkish government’s projects on this issue show strong commitment to mitigate and to adapt. Ms. Somunkıranoğlu’s attendance overlaps with what Mr. Coşkun was hoping to see; a high level involvement to a ground level operatives’ meeting so that scientists can hear and see the direct results from the field. This kind of meeting is where consultants and academics can work side by side with the public who are desperate to know more about effective ways of agriculture and water management.

The day ended with a viewing of Journey to the Seyhan River Basin which concisely summarises the projects put into practice in the Seyhan region and documents the projects’ positive effects on agriculture and the local economy. The UN Resident Representative in Turkey, Shahid Najam, spoke before the screening and said how much he was impressed by Turkey’s natural beauty and how much we should all fight to preserve this natural richness.

Climate Arena debates and the photography exhibition will continue its journey and toward the end of February, British Council and UN team will be in Denizli. Visit us at www.britishcouncil.org.tr to learn more about this project and its calendar.

Celik Özüduru
Communication Officer
British Council
celik.ozuduru@britishcouncil.org.tr