Environment and Watermanagement

From sustainable cooperation between governments…

Bilateral cooperation between the Netherlands and Turkey regarding the environment and water management has intensified in recent years, especially through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in March 2008.

Since 2002, Dutch authorities have moreover been actively involved in ten twinning projects, financed by the European Union. A major portion of these projects relates to the environment, and a twinning project in the field of water management, which is directed by the Netherlands, has started in 2007.

Many scientists connected to universities or scientific institutes have visited Turkey as experts or consultants in the framework of these twinning projects – and will continue to do so. Most likely, many more will follow as the result of the establishment of the Turkey-Netherlands Water Partnership (TNWP) in 2007. The TNWP aims to strengthen a multi-disciplinary approach to water management. Knowledge institutes and nongovernmental organisations will contribute to this network in the framework of projects, trainings, workshops. The World Water Forum, which was held in Istanbul in March 2009 and in which more than 150 Dutch citizens participated, will further stimulate international cooperation.

… to NIHA’s support to project in the area of education

Non formal academic cooperation (for instance in the form of direct contacts between researchers) between the Netherlands and Turkey already existed in the framework of the abovementioned projects. NIHA believes that these examples of non formal cooperation can form the basis for Erasmus agreements or dual degree agreements between universities, as well as for joint participation in projects (research, vocational education, curriculum development, etc.) that are financed by the Netherlands or the European Union. We strongly encourage such activities, propose new initiatives and support existing initiatives: for example, NIHA organised a Workshop on Water Management during its conference “Common Future” in January 2008 in Kızılcahamam, where many researchers, experts and activists from Turkey and the Netherlands met each other for the first time. In the spring of 2008, we also launched the ‘Green Breakfast sessions’, which include lectures and discussions on topics such as water management, for academics, students, members of non-governmental organisations and civil servants. During the largest Dutch Economic Mission to date, which visited Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir in November 2008, NIHA also organised a programme on water management.

Cooperation between Dutch and Turkish educational establishments will – as far as NIHA is concerned – not be limited to the more technical aspects. NIHA will stimulate attention to information distribution and awareness-raising in all cooperative efforts. In this framework, NIHA is exploring the possibility of establishing a ‘chair on water’ at one of the Turkish universities.

In the beginning of 2009, promising contacts have been established with Wetsus Academy, who is interested in recruiting students from Turkey for their master programmes and possibly establishing multiple dual degree master programmes.

Environment

• Research into possibilities to establish a Dutch-Turkish dual degree programme in Packaging engineering
• Establish summer courses on ecology

Watermanagement

• 16-18 November 2007: NIHA Observation Mission to Cappadocia,
• 14-15 January 2008: Workshops on Water Management
• Project proposal submitted on 16 May 2008: EKOKAP – towards an alternative and sustainable solution for waste water treatment in rural areas in Cappadocia: creating an artificial marshland in İbrahimpaşa
• Project on ‘on the job’ training of operators in waste water treatment facilities
• Research into possibilities for establishing an ‘awareness chair on the environment and water’
• Workshops on Water Management during the Dutch economic mission in November 2008

Green Breakfasts

• 6 May 2008: Lecture on “Turkey’s adaptation process of the EU acquis concerning water management”, by Henk Sterk, Resident Twinning Adviser EU Twinning Project on Water Management in Turkey
• 30 May 2008: Lecture “Marmara Sea Environmental Master Plan: Lessons Learned”, by Marijn Kunst, Coordinator of the Turkey-Netherlands Water Partnership (TNWP)
• 27 May 2009: Seminar on “Capacity Building in Climate Change Management in Turkey: Why? How?” by Bahar Ubay, Project Manager UNDP in Turkey
• 10 June 2009: Workshop on “Assessment of Geothermal energy sources in Inner Anatolia” by Prof. Dr. Şakir Şimşek, Hacettepe University, Engineering Faculty, Geological (Hydrogeology) Engineering department and by Orhan Mertoğlu, President of the Geothermal Energy Association in Turkey.