The announcement of Murat Kurum as President-Designate of COP31 marks a pivotal moment for global climate diplomacy and for Turkey’s evolving role on the international climate stage.

With COP31 expected to be held in Antalya, climate negotiations move into the Mediterranean basin—one of the fastest-warming regions on Earth. Turkey is already confronting the front-line impacts of climate change: prolonged droughts stressing water systems, intensifying wildfires, severe flooding from extreme rainfall, coastal erosion, and growing pressure on food, energy, and urban infrastructure. Hosting COP31 places these lived realities at the center of global decision-making.

Related: Turkey is building new nuclear reactors as Germany shuts down its last one

Turkey occupies a unique geopolitical and economic position. As a G20 economy and a bridge between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, it sits at the intersection of climate vulnerability and climate opportunity. It is both an emerging economy still expanding its energy and industrial base, and a country increasingly aware that resilience, adaptation, and sustainability are no longer optional—they are economic and social imperatives. It has also been a rising threat to global stability as it’s given refuge to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas militants. Every hotel and many restaurants in Turkey require you to go through weapons detections devices.

In recent years, Turkey has made tangible contributions to climate action. The country has rapidly scaled renewable energy capacity, particularly in solar, wind, and geothermal power, while reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels. It has launched nationwide zero-waste initiatives, invested in climate-resilient urban transformation, and prioritized disaster preparedness following increasingly frequent climate-linked extreme events.

Under Murat Kurum’s leadership, urban resilience, energy-efficient buildings, and sustainable land use have become core elements of environmental policy. But they still killed 4 million dogs this past year. Like it’s always been, Turkey is between the old and the new, the east and the west. 

Related: Explore Balat, once a Jewish neighborhood in Istanbul

COP31 in Antalya offers an opportunity to re-center global climate talks on implementation. The road from COP30 to COP31 will be defined by delivery—turning national commitments into real emissions reductions, adaptation projects, and financing mechanisms that reach vulnerable communities. Turkey is well positioned to help bridge long-standing divides between developed and developing countries, between ambition and affordability, and between mitigation and adaptation.

As COP31 President-Designate, Murat Kurum’s role will be to help shift the global climate agenda from negotiation fatigue to measurable progress. For Turkey, hosting COP31 is a chance to demonstrate leadership grounded in pragmatism, regional solidarity, and real-world solutions—showing that climate action can strengthen economies, protect communities, and accelerate a fairer, more resilient development path.The world’s journalists will be there and hopefully with a watchful eye.

The post Turkey named as climate change COP31 home in 2026 appeared first on Green Prophet.

Balat is not a neighborhood you would visit on a standard tour to Istanbul—the kind that shuttles you between giant mosques like Hagia Sophia. If you want a real taste of the city and the people who live there, wander a smaller neighborhood. Balat is my favorite for its cobblestone lanes, record shops, cafés, second-hand clothing stores, colorful stairs, textiles and towel shops—and the cats. Cats rule Balat, and much of Istanbul.

Be prepared to lose yourself wandering around this village-like part of the city. I’d spend half a day in Balat, much of it in wanderer mode. This is one of Istanbul’s most quietly enchanting quarters, where cultures overlap not as a museum piece, but as a living, breathing fact.

For centuries Balat has been home to Jews, Greeks, Armenians, and Muslims, and that mosaic still shapes the streets. You’ll pass the Ahrida Synagogue, Orthodox churches, and modest mosques within minutes of each other. Unlike grand Sultanahmet, Balat’s diversity feels intimate and domestic—it’s history at human scale you can still touch and feel. Homes and cafés are built among crumbling walls and old fortifications, and the vibe among the people is good. As my Uber driver said arriving in Balat, “In Istanbul we love our cats, and hate our mayor.”

Balat has recently become a magnet for vintage lovers and collectors (some say it happened when Coffee Department opened in 2010), but it hasn’t lost its edge and grit.

Find old record players spinning Turkish tunes, bent silverware, Anatolian rugs, colorful caftans, postcards, rusted tools, and ceramic cups poking out from tiny shops that are halfway between a flea market and a time capsule. We saw men dancing in the street and attractive local couples (lovers?) having intense coffee conversations in the late sunny morning—on a weekday.

The prices in the second-hand clothing shops are not what they once were (here is our old guide to second hand clothing shops in Istanbul around Istiklal street), but the items are well-curated. And the second-hand shops in Istanbul will still offer you eastern garb such as cloaks and overcoats, plus colorful wool sweaters. The stairs and buildings in Balat are colorful too.

The joy of being in Balat—or in Istanbul in general—is not ticking off addresses and sites of interest. It’s letting curiosity pull you down side streets where eye contact can lead to a conversation.

Three Cafes Worth Lingering In

Velvet Cafe – A Balat institution. Mismatched furniture, plants everywhere, and the feeling that time has agreed to slow down. Looks like a place to join a revolution—or start one.

Naftalin Kafe – Nostalgia perfected: old family photos, radios, and Turkish coffee that tastes like it belongs to the room. Cats rule the café. Notice our top photo taken recently outside Naftalin on one of the main tourist streets, where the cat is telling the waitress who to serve next.

Coffee Department in Balat – A more modern stop with excellent coffee, popular with locals and creatives without breaking the spell of the neighborhood. Believed to be the café that opened Balat up to becoming a prime tourist destination.

This is cat country, and humans know it. Cats lounge on stoops, café chairs, shop counters, and car hoods with total confidence and airs of superiority. They do let you touch—on their terms. Bowls of food appear mysteriously. Some cats even drop down on a rope from the sky (or the top-floor apartment). People have built cat houses for their furry friends, and non-profits exist to help foreigners send a beloved Balat street-cat back home with quarantine and papers (see Paws of Hope if you are interested in the adoption process). This is far from the Erdoğan-style Turkey that has called for the culling of millions of Turkish street dogs.

In Balat, cats are not a feature. They are the management.

Explore your faith in interfaith

Balat wears its interfaith history casually. As you wander, the names surface naturally: the Ahrida Synagogue and Yanbol Synagogue, quiet and inward-looking, echo Balat’s once-thriving Jewish life. Then the call to prayer drifts from neighborhood mosques like Ferruh Kethüda, Tahta Minare, and Balat Çavuş; and church bells mark time at St. George (Aya Yorgi), St. Mary of the Mongols, and the iron-clad St. Stephen Church by the water. Holding time are the crumbling Byzantine walls—cracked, vine-covered, and indifferent to faith—reminding you that in Balat, coexistence was a daily habit.

Follow the slope down toward the historic Golden Horn and you’ll find fishermen casting lines for small fish, chatting here and there while watching the water—and making sure the crows and the cats don’t fish the tiny fish out of the buckets.

Second hand clothing and vintage shops in Balat, Istanbul

Istanbul is known for its curios and second-hand clothing shops. You will get a taste of it all in Balat as you wander the streets. We came across a few vintage and second-hand clothing shops. The prices were not cheap (a T-shirt was priced around 25 Euros), so if you are in the business of bargain-basement shopping, better shop elsewhere in America or Canada at church thrift shops.

Ayca Vintage

Ayca vintage has a great vibe, with African drumming and song beckoning you to come in. We guessed it was the owner who peeked at us from under her hat—cat nearby—journaling. The shop is stocked with vintage caftans and colorful sweaters. She’s taken the selection job out of your day.

Ayvansaray mahallesi sultan çeşmesi cad. no:83A BALAT Fatih / istanbul

Twobavintage

Around the same area is Twobavintage, which stocks mainly kitschy kitchen items and relics from another era. There is a small selection of clothes in the back.

Ayvansaray Mahallesi Sultan Çesmesi Sokak No 94 Balat

Kulis vintage

Expect to pay a pretty penny for thrifted T-shirts and second-hand, western style here at Kulis Vintage. We found the same in Berlin when we were there 2 months ago. Highly curated, high prices—which is the way of the world for curated vintage in cities. Kensington Market in Toronto has been like that for decades.

Exploring the streets and finding colorful umbrellas and painted stairs in Balat is a must. Some parts are tourist traps, demanding you buy food before you enter. Some coffee shop owners say they have the best rooftop views of the Golden Horn. We can’t confirm.

We found an excellent towel and blanket shop with great prices. Where you can still find a deal is if you are looking for high-quality Turkish cotton towels. We found a shop, pictured below, where we bought a few high-quality towels for 200 LR each, about $5 USD. We didn’t bother bargaining because the price was fair and the seller was very nice.

His shop was down the street from Ayca Eastern Design. We didn’t get the full name, so show this man’s photo around the neighborhood and the locals will point out the way.

Off the Path: Working-Class Istanbul

Another face of Balat reveals itself when you leave the “Instagram streets.” Wander toward Cibali, where workshops still hum—metalworkers, repair shops, small factories—and life feels practical. This is also where you brush up against literary history.

Nearby lived Orhan Kemal, one of Turkey’s great writers of the working class. Kemal was the chronicler of laborers, factory hands, and the urban poor. He worked near the old Cibali Tobacco Factory (today part of Istanbul University), quite close to his former home, and wrote about the very people you still encounter here.

His presence lingers not as a plaque-heavy attraction, but as a spirit. We walked past his modest corner house that holds a plaque to his name. Impressive wooden houses nearby are for sale, and we dream about being a writer from his vantage point in this now-charming location.

Balat isn’t polished, and that’s exactly the point. It rewards slow walking and making mistakes. Tune into a few landmarks that interest you and wander toward them, noticing what you meet, smell, and hear along the way. On one of our meanderings we came across three schoolboys “cat-napping” a cat in their backpack to take home.

We also appreciated that some of the local artisans, like the owner of ilitya, are opening their studios for hands-on experiences. He is a graduate of design school and, unlike the thousands of traditional pottery studios in Turkey, he sells modern functional-ware. Made in molds and glazed in the studio, you can buy—or study and make your own—your choice.

We took a taxi to Balat from our hotel, but plenty of buses and trams run right to this neighborhood.

Green Prophet’s trip to Istanbul was sponsored by the United Religions Initiative, an interfaith network for peace and reconciliation. Their travel grant allowed us to tour Istanbul’s heritage independently to witness and report on the city’s diversity and heritage.

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It’s not being picked up on mainstream media but X users are reporting that the Turkish dog cull has begun.

Earlier this summer President Erdogan announced he’d start culling 4 million stray dogs from the streets of Turkey. The dogs are becoming a nuisance after a failed sterilization program didn’t work. Locals say it was due to lack of enforcement — the same reason why so many new earthquake-proof buildings in Turkey crumbled after the last earthquake. 

Turkish animal activist Insane Huseyin posts thousands of images of abused animals in Turkey. Locals and governments turn a blind eye.

“Has the photo become a poster of the evil that kills innocent animals by injecting them with laundry drugs?” writes Huseyin. “The world is angry and cursing.”

“A man was arrested in Istanbul for trying to stop dog catchers from illegally darting stray dogs without a vet in attendance. People will now end up in prison for trying to stop Presidents Erdogan’s dog genocide,” writes Dominic Dyer.

On Sunday, September 1, 2024, at 15:00 PM, animal rights activists in Turkey will demonstrate to demand justice for Turkish strays and stand in solidarity with Turkish activists risking their lives and liberty to oppose the bloodshed.

They invite all people to join us to call on the Turkish government to repeal the massacre law. This demonstration is hosted by Animal Save Movement and In Defense of Animals. An event will also be hosted in London outside the Turkish Embassy.

“Do not visit Turkey. Go to Greece instead,” says Nioh Berg on X.

It’s not the first time Turkey murdered its stray dogs. In 1910 80,000 strays were sent to a barren island to die. The massacre left a scar on the local psyche and many believed was to blame for the Ottoman defeat in the Balkan Wars & WWI.

Not long ago a Palestinian mayor called for the killing of dogs in Hebron, offering the equivalent of $20 for a truck load of dead dogs. This was until animal rights activist from Bethlehem stepped in – Diana Babish.

Animal abuse is rampant in the Middle East. We have plenty of horror stories from Jordan in our archives on abuse of dogs. Pets are abandoned as people flee climate change and the heat of the UAE.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Read here about Islam’s teachings on animals for inspiration.

The post Turkey’s 4 million dog cull begins appeared first on Green Prophet.

Egypt is getting better trains and Saudi Arabia is getting a slow luxury train. And an Israeli company helps make booking on European trains more streamlined. Turkey, which is has relied on buses for travel between cities, is now building a high-speed railway from Yerköy to Kayseri.

The project involves collaboration with Turkish companies Doğuş İnşaat, Çelikler, and Özkar, with backing from the UK’s Department for International Trade. The funding includes a 1.027 Billion Euro credit from the European Export Credit Agencies and a 220 Million Euro commercial credit line supported by the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit.

Related read: Istanbul’s best second hand clothing shops

The British Exporters Association believes these investments can stimulate UK business development, benefiting material and equipment suppliers. Meanwhile Turkey just rebuffed its export agreements with Israel siding with Hamas. Turkey has long sought entrance into the EU, but the UE has never considered membership seriously. Members place the blame for that not only on one side, but largely on one man: Erdoğan himself.

Meanwhile Turkey is moving on, solidifying agreements with Iran, China, and Russia.

The new Istanbul-Sivas line will take seven hours and 18 minutes, serviced by trains accommodating up to 483 passengers.

Osman Boyraz, deputy minister of transport and infrastructure, emphasized Türkiye’s strategic importance in international freight and passenger transportation. According to Boyraz, Türkiye invested 57 billion US dollars in building and renewing its railways over the last 22 years, increased the line length from 10,948 km to 13,919 km, and built 2,251 km of high-speed train lines.

The line between the capital city of Ankara and Eskisehir was the country’s first high-speed rail that went into operation in 2009, and the line was successfully extended to Istanbul in 2014 with a total length of 533 kilometers.

China Railway Construction Corporation and China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation, in partnership with two Turkish companies, built parts of the Ankara-Istanbul line.

According to Boyraz, high-speed trains have facilitated the transportation of 85 million passengers since 2009.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group is the sole authorized coordinator and bank agent, while parts of the credit are reinsured by financial institutions in Italy, Poland, and Austria.

This marks the third railway construction project in Turkey financed by the UK, SACE, and OeKB, with a combined length exceeding about 900 km.

The new high-speed railway, started in August 2022, will connect to the Ankara–Sivas high-speed line, reducing traffic on the Yerköy–Kayseri route and cutting harmful emissions by 6.5 million tons annually.

Japan is a fan of high-speed trains, with its bullet train exceeding 300km an hour. While prices of the bullet train in Japan have doubled over the last year (it costs about $125 USD one way between Kyoto and Tokyo), the quick link between cities means a 6-hour drive from Kyoto to Tokyo can be a swift 2.25 hours. Headaches, vomiting, and dizziness might be a side-effect for first time travelers. I’d rather drive but the cost of driving a car in Japan is on the limit of what people can afford as well. The drive from Tokyo to Kyoto cost over $100 USD in tolls for highway use over 3 days.

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The Ottomans controlled the Levant’s Lebanon, Israel and Syria from the 1500s until the end of World War I in 1918. The Ottoman Empire, from Turkey, was known for its notable architecture of domes and design. These are buildings that last until today. Good architecture is sustainable because people like to protect beautiful buildings. This is what we are seeing in a rare instance where design meets an industrial solar power plant in Turkey. The 3.2 million panel solar farm, Kalyon Karapınar Solar Power Plant, is one of the largest in the region.

Istanbul-based studio Bilgin Architects have designed the the solar farm’s offices and hub called the Central Control Building and have covered it in shimmering steel panels. It is the nerve center for one of the region’s largest solar farms.

We love that Turkey is using local architects –– important so that vision matches culture and sensibilities. This is not the case in Saudi Arabia, which hires starchitects from the west to build Neom.

Read Also: Maraya the biggest mirror building in the world. 

The Central Control Building is more than just a utilitarian structure; it is a study in contrasts. The shimmering steel panels are in stark juxtaposition to the arid landscape that surrounds it. The metallic skin, composed of 7,200 stainless steel panels, is not merely a design choice but a strategic decision to integrate the building with its environment.

Caner Bilgin, the studio’s founding partner, explains that the high reflectance levels of the facade allow the building to blend seamlessly into the horizon, creating a visual continuity that is both striking and harmonious. The building became operational in 2023.

But the facade is more than just a static element; it is a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, transparency and opacity. Perforations in the steel panels create varying levels of transparency, resulting in an ever-changing pattern that interacts with the shifting light and weather conditions.

From the inside, the facade acts as a semi-transparent screen, veiling the outside landscape during the day and revealing the internal spaces at night. This interplay of light not only enhances the building’s aesthetic appeal but also serves practical purposes, optimizing airflow and minimizing heat absorption.

Read Also: The wind catchers of Yazd

The design of the Central Control Building is not confined to its exterior; it extends inward to create a space that is both functional and inviting. Offices and meeting spaces for engineering and management teams are housed within its walls, while public areas serve as venues for educational events and exhibitions, inviting visitors to engage with solar technology firsthand.

It’s a place people will want to work, show their friends and family and where visitors and prospective investors can feel the power and performance of solar energy.

At the heart of the steel-mirrored building lies a central courtyard, and a green roof planted with local species that thrive in the harsh desert climate. This oasis not only provides a refuge from the sun but also contributes to the building’s energy efficiency, acting as a natural cooling system that reduces the need for artificial ventilation.

In contrast to the sprawling field of solar panels that stretches to the horizon, the courtyard and interiors of the Central Control Building offer a sense of human scale and connection to nature. Visitors can find solace in the shade of a tree.

Solar energy business

“Türkiye will no longer be a country in need of energy resources but will rather be a country capable of energy export,” Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in inauguration ceremony in 2023. Developed by Kalyon Energy, the solar plant in the central province of Konya boasts an installed capacity of 1,350 megawatts (MW). It promises to help Turkey curb its vast energy imports.

More than 3.2 million solar panels at the facility are to generate 3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to provide power to 2 million people and prevent the consumption of fossil fuel resources equivalent to $450 million USD.

The $1 billion plant has already started producing electricity, and will prevent 1.5 million tons of carbon emissions annually and increase the share of solar energy in Turkey’s total energy production by 20%.

Kalyon Holding, in August last year, agreed to sell a 50% stake in Kalyon Energy to the Abu Dhabi conglomerate International Holding Co (IHC) for about $490 million. The transaction included the solar power project in Karapınar, in addition to another one in the Gaziantep region and a wind power project in Ankara.

Turkey’s current renewable capacity accounts for over half of its total installed power capacity at 104,488mw. Hydropower capacity stands at around 31,600mw, followed by wind at 11,490mw. Solar power generation reached 9,820mw.

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The city of Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean Sea received the advanced grade A- in the ranking of the CDP, the largest international platform for measuring, managing and reporting the environmental data of companies and cities. This is a significant step up compared to the grades the municipality received in previous years, and its position is higher than the global average of all the reported cities.

The CDP is an international non-profit organisation based in the United Kingdom, Japan, India, China, Germany, Brazil and the United States that helps companies, cities, states, regions and public authorities disclose their environmental impact.

Tel Aviv has been reporting to the CDP voluntarily for a decade, and after joining C40 in 2018, an international network of cities committed to reducing the effects of the climate crisis and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reporting became mandatory.

The report to the CDP includes the presentation of consumption and performance data on carbon emissions, energy consumption and runoff management, along with the presentation of a comprehensive climate plan that includes adaptation to climate change and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions while meeting the municipal goals of this plan.

Tel Aviv is a city that makes a lot of sense in the face of climate change. First of all the moderate weather means less heating in the winter. The environmental footprint of city-goers is low thanks to e-scooters, above ground trains and buses. New projects make Tel Aviv very walkable. Food is hyper local, usually sourced from farms not more than 50 miles away. The Mediterranean Diet! Low key, low cost recreation at night and on the beach make it a great city for locals and travellers. You can live in flip-flops. There are impact investors and super cool startups dealing with climate and the environment.

We interviewed Tel Aviv visitors this summer about climate change. Here is what they say.

Problems in Tel Aviv? Asbestos is everywhere. Noise pollution. Violence from electric scooters on the sidewalks in Tel Aviv and Jaffa. Pollution and plastics in the sea. High cost of living, rents and dining out. Over-fishing.

More good sides? Its sister sister Jaffa. Ariel Weil writes a green guide to Jaffa here.

Tel Aviv’s mayor Ron Huldai says, “Thinking about sustainability, green energy, runoff management and climate change assessments is part of the DNA of the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, and the significant increase in the ranking in the CDP index proves this.

“The city of Tel Aviv-Yafo is one of the leading cities in the world in climate protection policy and we are members of the C40 leadership organization along with a network of leading cities in the world, working together on the issue. These are not words, we are committed to actions. We will continue to promote and implement the urban climate plan, formulate new plans and expand the green areas in the city, to ensure that we, our children and grandchildren can continue to enjoy life in the city and in Israel as a whole.

There is no doubt that the municipal efforts that include climate risk assessment, the implementation of the action plan to prepare for climate change in broad municipal cooperation, together with the channels of action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions place the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo on the international map. Reporting to the CDP plays a significant role in promoting sustainability and corporate responsibility.

Having a great CDP score means taking responsibility on the urban carbon footprint and encourages it to take significant steps to improve performance and reduce emissions, including risk management from climate change. Investors are increasingly considering environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when making investment decisions in the city. Reporting to the CDP demonstrates the municipality’s commitment to addressing climate-related risks and can improve investor confidence in the assets and companies that operate within it.

Outlining Tel Aviv’s journey

The first step jump in the Tel Aviv- Yafo municipality’s score in the CDP index occurred in 2020 after the publication of the action plan for preparing for climate change. This program is the first program in Israel for preparing for climate change, and was built after mapping the main threats that the city faces in the context of climate. The action plan focuses on two key tasks – cooling the city and water management.

The channels of action include a variety of nature-based solutions such as planting trees as part of an urban goal of 100,000 trees by 2030 (well Tel Aviv also wants to cut down important trees, let’s not forget) and improving natural percolation in the city by adding runoff retention ponds. This year’s report included a reference to all the actions that were taken, and the high score received indicates a good implementation of the plan in the municipality, and meeting the goals while referring to the climate risks.

We would like to add that this is the first year that the municipality has reported on actions included in the mitigation program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The plan will soon be published to the public and includes reference to three main sectors: energy, waste and transportation with measurable targets for reducing emissions. The goals set in the program are ambitious goals that are in line with leading cities in the world and refer to a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and zero emissions by 2050.

The high rating received by the Tel Aviv- Yafo municipality in this year’s index indicates that it places the climate and sustainability field at the top of its priorities. The municipality invests resources in the field of climate and deals with it in a serious and professional manner; Both in terms of analyzing the risks and understanding them, setting ambitious long-term goals and in terms of applicable channels of action in the variety of sectors and arenas of action.

CDP-ICLEI Track is the world’s leading climate reporting platform and progress accountability mechanism for cities. Tracking over 1,100 cities’ climate action in 2021. There are now 119 cities on the ‘A List’, show that action to tackle climate change is becoming mainstream for many of the world’s urban areas, including in the Global South.

Amman, Istanbul (great for second hand clothes!) and Kadıköy also made the A list.

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One thing I have noticed over the years while working as a sustainability reporter and editor: we are rarely interviewed by other media despite being experts in our field. It might have something to do with competition in the media, but I’d rather think that we just tend to forget the obvious. We were happy to meet Gökçe Uygun on a social media forum concerned about making Istanbul “eco” and what’s a better way to know Istanbul’s sustainability scene than through a curious reporter. 

Gökçe Uygun, 42, and based in the Kadıköy neighborhood of Istanbul is a journalist working for the Gazete Kadıköy (a local newspaper of the Kadıköy Municipality) for the last 13 years. We have some questions for her and here is what she says:

1. Tell us about the environment movement in Turkey? What’s happening? What should we care about?

There are many organizations in Turkey, locally and globally (such as Greenpeace, Turkey).

Uncontrolled mining activities, hydropower plants, reduction of green areas in cities during urban transformation processes, air pollution (especially in metropolitan cities), pollution of the Marmara Sea, the government’s Canal Istanbul Project.  Environmentalist organizations and local people are fighting against these kinds of issues.

2. What are your three favorite projects or ideas that are happening? Can you tell us a little more about them?

First; there is a ‘Repair Club’. It’s an Istanbul based social enterprise. They have great projects.

Second  Meatless Monday.

Third, Plastbanta (a plastic detox & diet in Swedish)

3. What are the 3 biggest environmental problems in Turkey?

The destruction of forests and water resources, a decrease in green areas, people’s bad habits… some people throw their trash to the streets, still. Can you believe that?!

4. How are people dealing with these issues, the government?

First of all I would like to say that it’s very difficult to be an environmentalist in Turkey. Remember the Gezi Park protest…  a few people were killed and many injured; some people are still in prison just because they defended trees. So environmentalists are fighting with demonstrations in the field and on the legal side. 

Related: Turkish couple murdered for trying to save the land they loved

5. What are the best ways for tourists to experience an eco-friendly day out in Istanbul? Any activities?

If you’re a tourist and take a eco-friendly day out in Istanbul I suggest you visit Kadıköy. Because Kadıköy’s people are very aware about these issues and also the Kadıköy Municipality offers many options. You can start your day with a vegan breakfast. Then shopping Kadıköy Municipality’s zero waste shop. Also you can visit Kadıköy Municipality’s Ecological Life Centre where you can take part some activities. Besides, you can shop at the flea market.

6. If you had a 1 billion Euros to invest in Istanbul what would you do?

I would spent it on public transport. Because there are too many private cars. This investment would reduce that. Also I would give a bicycle to everyone : )

7 . Nature is such a big part of Turkey. Is there any nature tourism around Istanbul

Yes I guess so. There are some groups/travel companies making trekking tours to Istanbul’s ponds, forests

8. Where do sustainability people hang out and what do they do?

They’re mostly vegan people at the same time. So they have their community. For example ı know a vegan group who organise a vegan picnic once a month in Kadıköy. They try to lead a sustainable life; buy second hand clothes, furniture, or swap them, separate their garbage, don’t use plastic bags.. etc.

9. What inspired you to become an environmental reporter? 

Actually we can’t say I am just an environmental reporter. I cover stories about any issue. But of course I really care about environmental correspondence and I focus on it from time to time.

10. Did you study? 

I graduated from Marmara University in Journalism

11. Tell us about yourself growing up…were you a city kid or a country kid?

Oh, unfortunately I was totally a city kid. I was born and grew up in Istanbul — such a metropolis. My mum didn’t used to let me play at outside. I didn’t have much of a relationship with nature, until I became an adult. Now I realize the value of nature and I am in love with it.

The post Meet Istanbul treehugger and journalist Gökçe Uygun appeared first on Green Prophet.

The best marathon in the world? Ones where women are allowed to run? This is a hard question to answer and you will get answers as varied as the people you ask. There are the well known marathons, like the New York Marathon in November, the London Marathon in April and the Berlin Marathon in September. Chicago, Boston, Stockholm and Paris follow suit.

What about the best marathons in the Middle East? Now you are in for an adventure. 

Adventurous, sustainable travel that’s good for you, and a marathon rolled into one? That’s a marathon in the Middle East. A marathon to support women runners? Maybe you have an eye on the prize or want to run around holy sites, the land of the cedars, or through grueling but expansive deserts in the Sahara Desert?

Maybe you are a global nomad who’s looking for the next location for roaming and running for the next few months. Nothing like training in situ like a local. Nothing like running for cardio health. And nothing like the Mediterranean Diet for heart health. We are Green Prophet so we’ve got your Middle East marathon bases covered. For this purpose locations in North Africa, the Arab parts of it, are lumped into what we call The Middle East. 

From starts in capital cities to desolate deserts or a run to help save refugees, here is a list of the best runs, the month they run, with varying degrees of atmosphere, speed, beauty and even prize money. Want us to consider adding another to this list? Drop us a line to run@greenprophet.com or a message via Instagram. 

The 10 best marathons in the Middle East

Marathon des Sables, Ouarzazate, Morocco – April

The Marathon des Sables is iconic and profits go to charity. It’s the marathon that might change your life or your status as an athlete. This marathon is more adventure and eco-tourism than any marathon you’ve ever met. “Sables” means sand in French, a second language of Morocco – after Arabic – and it’s in sand you will run. Sand will fill every crack of your soul.

It’s considered the world’s toughest footrace which combines 5 and a half marathons in one, spanning about 200 miles (251km) over five to six days. Everything you will need to eat is carried on your back, except water, as you run through the tops of the Sahara Desert in Morocco, in the heat of the sun, making it a coveted event for top athletes. Proceeds to this event go to a charity that help support desert dwellers. Funds go to solar energy systems and schools. 

Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, Dubai, UAE – February

The Dubai Marathon is the largest mass sporting event in the Middle East, according to event organizers. It’s an annual road-based marathon hosted by Dubai, United Arab Emirates, since 1998. The marathon is categorized as a Gold Label Road Race by World Athletics. In 2007, it was announced that the 2008 marathon would become the world’s richest long distance running event in history, with one million dollars offered as a prize for a world record and $250,000 for first place for both men and women. 

Top cash prizes still attract the world’s best runners. Participants from the past claimed that while the architecture is beautiful, and the weather is great for Europeans looking for a bit more heat in the winter, most of the race takes place through flat and boring scenery. 

But if you’ve come for the prize month or the ecological attractions before and after, and you are in the trance of running, who cares?

Bahrain International Marathon, Bahrain- February

The Bahrain Marathon is older than you’d think. It was This race was inaugurated in 1979 to coincide with a visit from Queen Elizabeth II, where 15 participants ran. In 1983 Mustafa Fulad became the first Bahraini to complete a full marathon but more and more locals participate in it every year as sports, and the joy of running, catches on in the Middle East.

Today this marathon is known for crossing both desert and mountains on Amwaj Island in Bahrain. Definitely not boring. As per Middle East style, the purse money is about $100,000 every year for top winners in male and female categories.

ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon, Abu Dhabi, UAE – December

Enjoy running with marathon elites in the heart of Abu Dhabi, while taking in iconic landmarks, stunning scenery and cheering crowds as you stride in style to finish line success. Run past the Zayed Sports Center, and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. People come for the biggest prize money at this race, totalling about $300,000 USD dollars every year.

Sahara Marathon, Algeria – February

This intense course, a humanitarian and activist race at its core, starts in the Sahara, and you have to fly in to reach it at Al Ayoun, Algeria. Aid stations are set up throughout as you run in the world’s largest desert.  This marathon event has brought together thousands of runners for a few decades to the Saharawi refugee camps of Tindouf in Algeria. 

The Sahara Marathon is an international sport event to demonstrate solidarity with the Saharawi people with the aim of promoting sport among Saharawi young men and women and financing and developing humanitarian programs to help these people overcome conflict in the region.

Who are the Saharawi people?

The Sahrawi, or Saharawi people, are an ethnic group and nation native to the western part of the Sahara desert, which includes the Western Sahara, southern Morocco, much of Mauritania, and along the southwestern border of Algeria. They are of mixed Berber, Arab and Black African descent. Systematic human rights abuses, police brutality, violations of international law and fundamental rights, the Sahrawi people of Africa’s last colony, Western Sahara, have endured decades of repression at the hands of Moroccan occupying forces. Since replacing Spain as coloniser, Morocco has attempted to control a territory about the size of the UK, using military force to suppress free speech and pro-independence protests. 

Jerusalem Marathon, Jerusalem, Israel – March

Going for a Holy Run? The Jerusalem Marathon is an annual marathon running event held in Jerusalem during the month of March when the weather is pleasant and warm in this Israeli city, also known as The City of David. 

The course begins at Israel’s parliament, passes through Mount Scopus and the Old City, and finishes at Sacher Park. Prize money for winners is only a few thousand dollars, so this is a run you do for your soul. 

Jerusalem’s big brother marathon is the Tel Aviv Marathon, which happens in February attracts more runners and prizes (about $7,000 USD for winners, $40,000 for record breakers) and this year about 40,000 runners made it to the event. Our advice? Stay for a month and come for both marathons.

Update 2024: It’s not announced if the Jerusalem Marathon will go ahead this year but the Tel Aviv Marathon will be in March. 

Antalya Marathon, Anatolia, Turkey – March

The Antalya Marathon, officially International Öger Antalya Marathon, and for a short time known as Runtalya, is an international athletic event that takes place in Antalya, Turkey since 2006. It is one of the best marathons of the Middle East. Run along the sea, a most refreshing course that winds along one of the prettiest parts of the Mediterranean Sea. After the flat course race, rip off your shoes and head to the beach. A most sporting holiday with up to 10,000 others.

Antalya is a Turkish resort city with a yacht-filled Old Harbor and beaches with plenty of boutique hotels. It’s a gateway to Turkey’s southern Mediterranean region, known as the Turquoise Coast for its blue waters. And it’s a great destination for stargazing or launching a yacht to cruise along the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas.

Remnants remain from Antalya’s time in the past as a major Roman port. These include Hadrian’s Gate, built to honor the Roman emperor’s visit in 130 A.D and 2nd-century Hidirlik Tower, with stunning views of the harbor.

The Dead Sea Ultra Marathon, Ein Bokek, Israel – February

The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth and one of the world’s wonders. Also known for Spencer Tunick’s naked Dead Sea. Cleopatra’s beauty secret too. The highlight of the race, then, is a run towards the sea on the border embankment of the Dead Sea Works that surrounds the southern part of the Dead Sea. It happens only once a year, in marathon and ultra marathon distances, and just for this race, that security forces allow this scenic route to be open along the dikes, giving runners breathtaking views that have so far been observed by employees of the Dead Sea factories. The Dead Sea is dying. Run this race to draw awareness to the devastation caused to it from water overuse and the Dead Sea factories on other side of the sea.

The dike serves as the border area between the Israeli side of the Dead Sea and the Jordanian Dead Sea and they serve as a barrier without a fence between the two countries that maintain a peaceful relationship. So straddle both sides on this once of a lifetime run. 

“Amazing location,” says one runner who ran the Dead Sea, “I think you’d struggle to find a cooler place to run! Not crowded, fantastic photos and drone photos included, plentiful aid stations. But the main plus is definitely the awe inspiring location.”

BDL Beirut International Marathon, Beirut, Lebanon – November

Hosted in Lebanon’s capital city, the Beirut Marathon offers both wheelchair and running races, hoping to inspire health and fitness in the Land of God’s Cedars. 

Beirut is considered the cool kid on the block in the Middle East. It’s a modern city, with modern free thinkers, like the kids nearby in Tel Aviv. Although the two can never meet as conflict with Hezbollah terror groups keeps the borders closed. 

Beirut has suffered some terrible setbacks from corruption, explosions and terrorism.  Running around this Mediterranean Sea city is a powerful way to bring life back to Beirut after devastating losses in the past couple of years. After the run there are plenty of hikes and eco-tourism options to follow around Lebanon. 

Istanbul Eurasia Marathon, Istanbul, Turkey – November

Crossing from Asia into Europe, this full marathon The Istanbul Eurasia Marathon race spans two continents and you cross a bridge to connect them. The Istanbul Marathon starts 300m behind the Bosphorus Bridge; the race course divides in Besiktas turnoff after passing the bridge, then goes down from Barbaros Boulevard to Besiktas, and follows the coastal road to reach Karakoy.

Founded in 1979 in an effort to host a marathon for visiting German tourists, it is one of the oldest races in the region and certainly a foundation for one of the best marathons in the Middle East. And no doubt, visiting Istanbul is an experience you will never forget. The prize money is pretty good, about $50,000 USD every year for the winners.

Lesser known marathons in the Middle East

Already tried these 10 best marathons of the Middle East? Don’t forget there are some other new and noteworthy marathons in the Middle East region: Cairo hosts a stunning race but you need to run 4 times in a loop, the Erbil marathon for peace in Iraqi-held Kurdistan in November.

Amman, Jordan hosts a marathon every year but I don’t love the city. It’s polluted and not walkable. If you want to visit Jordan, try the Petra Marathon in the south and which runs around antiquities; or the Dead Sea Marathon you access from the Israeli side, via Jerusalem. The run starts in Israel and then head over to Aqaba and Petra for tourism before going to Bir Sweir in Sinai, Egypt for a week. 

If you are near Jordan, you can also try the Riyadh Road Runners, a marathon in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia meant for social and professional runners. Women are allowed to run in regular running gear but adapted hijabs make it possible to run covered. There will be a women’s only group running starting in 2022. So join the race and when you run, run in solidarity with the women too. And remember, at ultra-long distances women can outrun men.

Want us to consider adding another to this list of the Best Marathons in the Middle East? Have a sporting event for us to cover, an event which makes sustainable travel even better? Drop us a line  run@greenprophet.com or a message us via Instagram. 

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Some might say Turkey is overrun with stray dogs and cats. These strays and their good treatment by mosques and business owners have become a part of Istanbul culture.

Unfortunately, poor treatment of these animals has also been a part of the culture, with insufficient penalties in place.

Now, legal measures are being proposed to increase the penalty for animal cruelty from paltry fines, to serious jail time. According to TRT World, the proposed law demonstrates rather advanced sensibilities such as the following:

• Hurting, harming or causing pain to animals in the production of movies, commercials and other media is banned.
• Establishing animal circuses, water circuses or dolphin parks is banned.
• Municipalities with a population over 100,000 are required to establish animal care centres.
• Forcing animals to do actions that exceed their power are punished with sentences ranging from four months to four years.

In addition to the above, there is wording to cover neglect of psychological as well as physical care. Prospective pet owners in highly developed nations like the US, stand to benefit from the wisdom of such laws. There is a fine line between pet ownership and pet abuse: Here is what you should know to stay on the right side of that line:

You Are Your Pet’s Health Plan

Your dog’s health is your responsibility for the entirety of their lives. It can be expensive. But as with humans, the bulk of that expense happens in the latter years. There are puppy shots and routine maintenance after that. During their robust years, you mostly just have to feed the dog to keep it healthy and happy.

Compounding natural health issues is the fact that dogs age differently. Some dogs are extremely vibrant well into their teens. While other dogs are ancient by age six. It all comes down to knowing the breed you are interested in, and counting the health care costs before bringing a dog into your life.

Abandonment is Abuse

What do you do when you realize you can’t afford to take care of your children? Abandoning them on the street is not a legal or socially acceptable option. We have almost romanticized the notion of leaving a baby in a basket at the door of a wealthy family. But that is child abandonment, and punishable by prison. Abandonment is abuse.

…And so it is with pets.

In some ways, pets have it even worse. They don’t typically get placed in baskets and left at the door of responsible pet owners. They just get turned out into the streets with no prospects for food water, and other necessities of life.

A child left in this way, if lucky, might become a gang member and a detriment to society. A dog, particularly a big one, has even less chance of carving out a life. It will be hunted, caged, and exterminated like a pesky insect. Responsible pet ownership is a commitment that stands long after convenience falls.

The post Turkey takes harder stance on animal abuse appeared first on Green Prophet.

My experience with the Turkish police was problematic. As a tourist I was accosted by a man on moped, but because the perpetrator didn’t rape me or manage to steal my bag, the police weren’t interested in my complaint. New infuriation with the police stirs: Istanbul police officer takes selfie as a man a man commits suicide this morning.

The man jumped into the Bosphorus Strait from the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul and as the police unsuccessfully coached him to back down, a cop could be seen taking a selfie of the”action”.

The suicide was slow. After a three-hour operation on the bridge, the man jumped at a reported 9:35 am, and was later found dead by naval police in the water. The police who took the selfie is now being investigated.

Positive selfies from Tunisia

For those of you who want to take positive selfies – see what Tunisians are doing as they take selfies with piles of trash. Those are selfies that can lead to positive change. Not celebrating someone’s pain.

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