Turkey's First Climate Law Enters into Force
Turkey's First Climate Law Enters into Force
Climate Law No. 7552 entered into force after being published in the Official Gazette dated 9 July 2025. This information note summarises the main provisions of the Climate Law and its implementation mechanisms.
- Purpose and Scope of the Climate Law
The main purpose of the Climate Law is to concretise Turkey's targets for combating climate change in line with its green growth vision and net zero emission target and to establish the necessary institutional, administrative and legal structure to achieve these targets. In this context, it is aimed to;
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
- Ensure adaptation to climate change,
- Establish carbon markets,
- Strengthen institutional coordination.
The Climate Law imposes obligations on a wide range of stakeholders, from public institutions to the private sector, and encourages individuals and society to take an active role in combating climate change.
- Basic Principles and Definitions
The Climate Law is based on principles such as equality, climate justice, precaution, participation, transparency, sustainability and fair transition. New concepts with environmental and economic dimensions such as "emission trading system", "climate justice", "voluntary carbon markets", "primary market", "embedded greenhouse gas" are also included in the Climate Law.
- Climate Change Presidency
With the Climate Law, the Climate Change Presidency, which is responsible for the implementation of climate policies, has been structured as the main institution. The Presidency is tasked with many issues such as the preparation of policy and strategy documents, carrying out monitoring and reporting activities, establishing the Emission Trading System and implementing carbon pricing mechanisms.
The Climate Change Presidency is authorised to request information and documents from public institutions and the private sector. This situation requires attention in terms of data sharing and protection of personal data in practice.
- Planning Process and Local Adaptation Mechanisms
The Climate Law envisages that climate policies should be planned not only at the central but also at the local level. In this context:
- It is obligatory to establish a Provincial Climate Change Coordination Board in each province.
- Local climate change action plans will be prepared in line with the national climate change strategy and action plans.
- These plans will be periodically updated, and their performance will be monitored.
- Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The Climate Law requires the followings, within the framework of various regulations of institutions and organisations:
- Energy, water and raw material efficiency,
- Prevention of pollution at source,
- Increasing the use of renewable energy,
- Reducing the carbon footprint of products, businesses, institutions and organisations,
- Use of alternative clean or low carbon fuels and raw materials,
- Expansion of electrification,
- Developing clean technologies and increasing their utilisation,
- Taking measures in areas such as waste management and zero waste practices.
- Emissions Trading System (ETS)
The Climate Law sets forth establishment of an Emissions Trading System (ETS) in Turkey. Under the ETS, the followings will be put into use:
- Greenhouse gas emission permit allocations,
- Market stabilisation and flexibility mechanisms,
- Voluntary carbon markets,
- Carbon pricing instruments.
Before full implementation of the ETS, a pilot period will be implemented and the scope and duration of the pilot period and the procedures and principles regarding the implementation will be determined by the Carbon Market Board by taking the opinions of the relevant institutions, organisations and non-governmental organisations.
- Authorisation, Audit and Obligations
Within three years from the date of entry into force of the Climate Law, the enterprises that will be included in the scope of the ETS are obliged to obtain a greenhouse gas emission permit. In the event of a change in the nature or operation of the facility and the persons holding the greenhouse gas emission permit, this permit must be updated or cancelled. The authority to audit will be vested in the Directorate of Climate Change and relevant administrations, and administrative sanctions will be imposed in case of breach of obligations.
- Compliance Process and Timeline
Regarding the obligations imposed by the Climate Law, the relevant institutions and organisations are required to comply until 31 December 2027 and the President of the Republic is authorised to extend this period up to one year.
This transition period necessitates the preparation of implementing regulations and sectoral guidelines.
- Conclusion
The Climate Law is the beginning of a new era in Turkey's climate policies. This law is not only a holistic regulation in terms of environmental legislation, but also touches many different areas such as energy, agriculture, industry, finance and even human rights.
In the upcoming period, the following issues will need to be carefully monitored:
- Secondary regulations on ETS and carbon pricing,
- The scope of the Presidential powers and its relationship with other institutions,
- Balance between information and document sharing and PDP legislation,
- Procedures and sanctions to be applied in authorisation and audit processes.
If you have any questions about the Climate Law, please do not hesitate to contact us.