Cooperation on Water Security

Boğaziçi University fulfils its global responsibility for water security through various collaborations at local, regional, national and international levels. By hosting the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN) Turkey, the University develops and implements solutions for sustainable water management and security. In addition, Boğaziçi University collaborates with local governments and other international stakeholders to improve water security.

National Practices:

Boğaziçi University works with public and private sector organisations on water security and water efficiency in Turkey. For example, with the ‘Green Consensus Action Plan’ prepared by the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Turkey, efforts are being made to increase water efficiency in production and consumption areas, especially in industry. At the same time, the ‘Water Efficiency Strategy Document and Action Plan (2023-2033)’ prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry aims to make water use more efficient.

Centres

• Boğaziçi University Sustainable Development and Cleaner Production Centre (BU-SDCPC): Develops policies on eco-efficiency and cleaner production in cooperation with national and international stakeholders.
• Boğaziçi University Climate Change and Policies Application and Research Centre (İklimBU): Researches socio-economic factors such as agriculture, water resources and drought and provides solutions on these issues.

Activities and Projects:

Boğaziçi University has undertaken many local and international projects on water security. For example:

• TÜBİTAK projects carried out by Boğaziçi University Institute of Environmental Sciences have solution-oriented studies on water quality management and pollutant detection.
• The ‘Drainage by Design: Optimising Stormwater Infrastructure in Istanbul’ project, carried out in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), focuses on the development of Istanbul's water infrastructure and the recovery of rainwater.

Related Links:

• Boğaziçi University Climate Change and Water
• Science in the Bosphorus: The Risk of Becoming Water Poor
• Republic of Turkey Ministry of Trade Green Deal Action Plan
• Water Efficiency Strategy Document (2023)
• Environmental Analyses Laboratory
• WWF Turkey: Plastic Waste Problem
• Boğaziçi University and MIT Joint Project

2024 Sustainability Report SDG-6 (Related Section)

Cooperation on Water Security

Boğaziçi University fulfils its global responsibility for water security through various collaborations at local, regional, national and international levels. The University develops and implements solutions for sustainable water management by hosting the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN) Turkey. In addition, in order to strengthen water security, it also contributes to efforts in this field by establishing effective co-operation with local governments and other international stakeholders.

For More Information

https://unsdsn.bogazici.edu.tr/tr

National Practices

Within the scope of compliance with the‘European Green Deal’, the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Turkey prepared the ‘Green Deal Action Plan’ in 2021 in cooperation with all relevant public and private sector organisations, and actions emphasising water and resource efficiency in production and consumption in various fields, especially industry, were determined. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Water Management prepared water efficiency action plans addressing all sectors and stakeholders within the scope of ‘Water Efficiency Strategy Document and Action Plan (2023-2033)within the Framework of Adaptation to a Changing Climate’ with the aim of disseminating efficient practices in urban, agricultural, industrial and individual water use and raising social awareness. Within the scope ofthe‘National Water Efficiency Campaign’, water efficiency application techniques such as rainwater and grey water recovery and the use of sensor faucets, which are described in the guidance document prepared for Higher Education Campuses, are implemented on Boğaziçi University campuses.

Green Deal Action Plan:

https://ticaret.gov.tr/data/60f1200013b876eb28421b23/MUTABAKAT%20YE%C5%9E%C4%B0L.pdf

Higher Education Campuses Water Efficiency Guidance Document:

https://suverimliligi.gov.tr/pdf/85/01.pdf

Centres

Boğaziçi University Sustainable Development and Cleaner Production Centre (BU- SDCPC): It conducts interdisciplinary applied research on eco-efficiency and cleaner production in national and international co-operation environment and proposes policy and action plans on these issues.

For More Information

https://sdcpc.bogazici.edu.tr/tr/aims.asp

Boğaziçi University Climate Change and Policy Research and Application Centre (iklimBU)

CORDEX is also responsible for research on Central Asia, MENA and Australasia regions and investigates the impacts of climate outcomes on socio-economic factors such as agriculture, water resources, drought, and provides support to policy makers by proposing solutions to the impacts and risks in Turkey and neighbouring countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and Central Asia.

For More Information

https://climatechange.bogazici.edu.tr/

Projects and Activities

Within the scope of the TUBITAK project carried out at Boğaziçi University Institute of Environmental Sciences, it is aimed to create an integrated and functional decision support system to identify the pollutants released into the Ergene River with ‘Pollutant Fingerprints’, to associate them with the sources and to determine the effects of the improvements made in line with the Ergene Basin Protection Action Plan carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on water quality.

For More Information

https://bogazicindebilim.bogazici.edu.tr/node/44

‘Plastic Waste Problem in Turkey and Policy Recommendations’ report has been prepared in cooperation with Boğaziçi University Institute of Environmental Sciences and World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF-Turkey). This report proposes solutions to reduce plastic wastes that cause pollution by mixing into fresh water and seas.

For More Information

https://wwftr.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/plastikwebkucuk_1.pdf

In order to achieve water quality targets for the limited water resources in Istanbul, research on the use of microalgae in domestic, industrial and agricultural wastewater treatment is being carried out under the‘Integrated Biorefinery Concept for Bioeconomy Driven Development’ (INDEPENDENT ) project. INDEPENDENT Project is implemented within the scope of the Competitive Sectors Programme financed by the financial cooperation between the European Union and the Republic of Turkey and implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Technology.

For More Information

https://independent.bogazici.edu.tr/tr/cevre

"Drainage by Design: Optimising Stormwater Infrastructure in Istanbul ’, a collaborative project between Boğaziçi University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), provides guidance for improving Istanbul's infrastructure capacity for stormwater recycling. The project helps shape the future investment plans of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and IstanbulWater and Sewerage Administration (ISKI) by comparing whether the drainage planning implemented by Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI) for Istanbul is optimal with the assessment of forward-looking climate data.

For More Information

http://www.eng.boun.edu.tr/tr/bogazici-universitesi-ve-mitden-istanbulu-sel-ve-su-baskinlarindan-korumak-icin-ortak-proje