legal migration through a one-to-one placement programme. In this framework, it was agreed that Turkey would re-admit migrants who entered Greek Islands through irregular ways and in return for each Syrian migrant admitted by Turkey, one Syrian migrant under temporary protection in Turkey would be placed in EU. Following the implementation of the protocol, the number of irregular migrants to Europe through Turkey substantially decreased. On the other hand, Turkey introduced a coordinating governor function to organise law enforcement forces to better combat irregular migration in 2016. Through Turkey’s efforts, while the number of migrants sailing to Greece was 856,723 in 2015, the figure receded to 173,351 in 2016, 28,907 in 2017 and 32,032 in 2018. In addition to the works undertaken by our country through its own means, Turkey also engages in joint projects with international institutions for development. For instance, the Resilience in Local Administrations Project implemented by the Union of Municipalities of Turkey involves works on taking into account the role and needs of local administrations in national migration policies, strengthening learning and support structures among municipalities and providing grants to municipalities. Cooperation is established with international economic and financial institutions and active participation is ensured in ongoing projects and works. In this regard, Turkey takes leed in compliance with internationally determined principles and standards. Turkey is a member of numerous global economic and financial institutions such as Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation, Standing Committee of Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Islamic Development Bank. It has been represented at the G-20 group since its inception in 1999 which has become the main platform for global economic cooperation. Also, Turkey became a member of Financial Stability Board in 2009. The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) on 25 March 2009 and Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) on 1 July 2009 became members of Basel Committee of Banking Supervision (BCBS). In 2016, Turkey was assessed and found fully compliant with Basel III standards in the context of the Regulatory Consistency Assessment Programme. Regulatory and supervisory agencies in Turkey are included in the International Network on Financial Education (INFE) which undertakes important work on financial education under OECD and take part in sub-group studies. Between 2014-2017, “Financial Access, Financial Training and Protection of Financial Consumer Strategy and Action Plan” was implemented. The main objective of this document is to disseminate financial products and services across all segments, inclusion of persons outside the financial system and increase the quality and use of existing products and services. Effective measures for protecting financial consumers are also among the objectives. Regulatory and supervisory agencies in the finance sector in Turkey as well as Borsa Istanbul are also members of the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB). CBRT is a shareholder of the International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM), whereas BRSA is a member of the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) and Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). Also, Turkey is represented at International Organisation of Securities Commission (IOSCO), World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) and International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS). Turkey actively participates in the works of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Standing Committee of Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC), develops projects and shares its experiences with other countries. Turkey has undertaken important commitments in all negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) platform and made adjustments in line with the agreements. Our country has undertaken serious commitments in all negotiations at the WTO platform regarding the implementation of special and differentiated treatment for 2015 2016 2017 2018 32,032 28,907 173,351 856,723 The number of migrants sailing to Greece 98 TURKEY’s 2nd VNR 2019 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS “Strong Ground towards Common Goals”
developing countries, particularly LDCs. In this context, Turkey
declared to WTO on 3 September 2015 that it already granted
preferential treatment to LDCs beyond entry into the market
in the field of trade in services starting as of 25 August 2015
and the commitments in this declaration will be valid until
2026.
NEXT STEPS:
The following policies will be implemented in the upcoming
years to achieve SDG 10:
• Alleviating the tax burden on the incomes of lower income
groups,
• Strengthening equal opportunities in every area, particularly
in education and employment,
• Increasing participation in labour force and employment
particularly for young people and women,
• Broadening the scope and increasing the effectiveness of
the mechanisms supporting local development to reduce the
differences in levels of development among regions,
• Increasing the number of projects targeting vulnerable
segments in service provision of local administrations,
• Strengthening the mechanisms for increasing the
participation of NGOs and relevant segments of the society
in policy and implementation processes in the framework of
pluralism and participation,
• Devising a general-scope orientation training programme to
support the adaptation of migrants.
99
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
“Strong Ground towards Common Goals”
5.11. SDG 11. MAKE CITIES AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS INCLUSIVE, SAFE, RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE The main objective is to create human settlements that preserves historical and cultural values; are resilient to disasters and secure; have effective waste management systems which minimises the impacts of waste on environment; and are safe and accessible with integrated transportation networks and also to ensure that all segments of the society, particularly elderly, persons with disabilities, women and children are safely included in city life. POLICIES In addition to NDPs and strategic plans of relevant public institutions, key policy documents on SDG 11 include the Integrated Urban Development Strategy and Action Plan, National Rural Development Strategy, Information Society Strategy and Action Plan, National Intelligent Transportation Systems Strategy, Species Protection Strategy and Action Plans, National Earthquake Strategy and Action Plan, Turkey’s Climate Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan, National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan, National Biological Diversity Strategy and Action Plan and 2007 National Recycling Strategy and Action Plan. The key components of the policy framework in line with SDG 11 are as follows: • Improving environmental sensitivity and quality of life through practices such as waste and emission reduction, energy, water and resource efficiency, recycling and prevention of noise and visual pollution in line with sustainable cities approach, • Implementing spatial planning and urban design schemes that aim to enhance liveability for different segments of the society, particularly elderly, disabled, women and children and protect equal opportunities and equity, • Protecting human health, natural resources as well as historical and aesthetical values of cities through participatory and effective spatial planning, • Developing principles and methods that define the qualifications and preparation, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, supervision and governance processes of spatial plans, and GIS infrastructure to effectively use information technologies. • Scaling up eco-sensitive, efficient and cost-effective urban development, • Taking into account the needs of vulnerable segments in designing housing and their surroundings and creation and provision of all urban services, particularly transportation, • Developing healthy and alternative solutions to the shelter problem, • Strengthening the guiding, regulatory, supervisory and supporting role of the public sector in the housing market, • Accelerating infrastructure-ready land development, • Ensuring adequate, liveable, resilient, safe, inclusive, affordable and sustainable housing with basic infrastructure services for all, especially for those with lower incomes, • Diversifying social housing production and supporting building cooperatives, • Undertaking urban regeneration projects with an approach that integrates living areas of different income groups, reduces the workplace-housing distance, is compatible with the city’s historical and cultural background and supports social integration, • Maximising the use of planning tools that take into account ideal field size, infrastructure needs and social impact in urban regeneration, • Creating urban areas and residential environments through a planning process that takes heed of disaster risks and enhance disaster resilience and inspections, • Undertaking risk mitigation, preparation, response and post-disaster recovery works in a holistic manner and enhance disaster management capacities, • Making urban transportation investments with an approach based on public transportation according to transportation plans in line with land use plans, • Ensuring that urban transportation systems offer highly accessible, safe, high-quality and effective services, • Utilising information technologies and intelligent transportation systems effectively in traffic management and public transportation services, • Improving and transforming the urban transportation infrastructure with a focus on pedestrians and public transportation, • Increasing the competitiveness of regions through practices that are sensitive to characteristics of settlements with different qualities and functions and are in line with sectoral policies and strengthen economic and social integration, • Protecting and restoring cultural heritage in line with holistic protection principle and increase public awareness. 100 TURKEY’s 2nd VNR 2019 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS “Strong Ground towards Common Goals”
LEGISLATION The Law on Environment, regulates measures such as waste management, control of soil pollution, air quality and pollution as well as on protecting the environment and preventing environmental pollution to mitigate negative impacts of urbanisation and economic activities. The Law on Land Development Planning and Control, defines the duties and responsibilities of local administrations, central institutions and other relevant parties in spatial planning, urbanisation, lot arrangement and cadastral system as well as the responsibilities of professionals working in these areas. Areas covered by SDG 11 such as access to housing, housing financing, prevention of slum housing, urban transportation, mitigation of disaster risks, protecting the natural and cultural heritage, improving the access of disadvantaged groups to urban services and eliminating the imbalance among regions as well as empowering local administrations, which are the main party in charge of urban services are comprehensively regulated in our legislation. IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS AND IMPROVEMENT AREAS SDG 11 is assessed on four focus areas: i. Inclusive and sustainable urbanisation; ii. Safe and affordable transport; iii. Spatial planning and regional development; and iv. Protection of natural and cultural heritage In terms of inclusive and sustainable urbanisation, the urbanisation and development process has been addressed in an integrated manner and policies are developed to create highly liveable places. The urban population in Turkey increased from 65% in 2000 to 73% in 2015 and came closer to OECD average of 80%. The administrative regulation entered into force in 2014, increased the number of metropolitan municipalities and expanded their boundaries, the urban population reached 92% in 2018. This regulation included rural settlements into the boundaries of urban areas. Although the shortage in total housing was met and the slum housing problem was resolved as a result of the recent increase in housing supply, there is misalignment in the supply and demand balance in terms of settlements. In response to the estimated housing need for 2017 which was predicted to be as 817,000; number of housing units with occupancy permits was 823,000. The Housing Development Administration (TOKI), which was established to meet the need for social housing and housing financing in Turkey, started the construction of 832,000 housing units in 2003 and delivered 655,194 as of the end of 2018 with all their social and technical infrastructure. 86.2% of built housing units is social housing. Urban regeneration projects in our country are undertaken in many areas ranging from disaster prone areas to industrial areas and from revitalisation of historical areas to creating quality housing projects. Pursuant to the legal regulation aiming to ensure more effective and faster urban regeneration applications and to increase the number of regenerated buildings and areas, in 2012-2019Q1, 188,000 buildings which included 602,000 detached units were identified as risky; 227 risky areas, 141 Urban Regeneration and Development Project Areas (URDPA) and 10 Renovation Areas were declared on a total area of 28,145 hectares. Further, a total of 204 reserve construction areas were identified on 46,217 hectares of land in 37 provinces. Approximately 8.1 billion TL (2.83 billion USD) have been spent to financing urban regeneration, for corporate and individual rent allowances, interest supports, expropriations and regenerations since 2012. Disaster management in Turkey is handled within a comprehensive and integrated framework involving different strategy documents. Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which will guide disaster reduction policies was adopted in 2015. Hazard and risk maps by types of disasters addressing disaster threats which may affect the settlements in our country are under preparation. Guidelines were developed and made available for rock fall and avalanche. Sensitivity maps for landslide were completed. The Disaster Management and Decision Support System Project (AYDES) implemented by AFAD created an electronic tracking and management system for all stages of integrated disaster management to also optimize the disaster management process. 101 TURKEY’s 2nd VNR 2019 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS “Strong Ground towards Common Goals”