European Green City Index - Siemens

European Green City Index | City Portrait
Istanbul_Turkey
Select city data
Population: 12.6 million
GDP per head, PPP: € 14,615
CO2 emissions per head: 3.25 tonnes*
Energy consumption per head:
Percentage of renewable energy
36.15 gigajoules*
consumed by the city: 5.12 %
Total percentage of citizens walking,
cycling or taking public transport to work: 54.02 %*
Annual water consumption per head: 68.63 m3 Share of waste recycled: 3.12 %
* Estimate
Istanbul is Turkey’s biggest industrial centre,
employing around one in five of the country’s
industrial workforce. Local industry varies widely,
from textiles and chemicals to vehicles and
food and beverages. By population, Istanbul is
the largest city in Europe. Population growth has
been far more rapid than elsewhere in Europe:
the city’s population has risen by at least 400%
since 1970. As of 2008 the population was officially
12.6 million, largely as a result of migration
from rural areas. Istanbul is ranked 25th in
the European Green City Index, with a score of
45.20 out of 100. Many of its problems have
greater similarities with those faced by cities in
the developing world than with the other European
cities considered in this study. The city
scores best on energy, thanks to its low level of
consumption per head.
CO2 emissions: Although Istanbul ranks only
16th overall for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions,
it scores strongly on CO2 emissions per head,
ranking second in this subcategory. However,
this is largely because of the city’s low level of car
ownership per head and low per-head energy
consumption.
Initiative: Scientists in Istanbul have been conducting
research on how to meet the European
Commission’s proposal to limit CO2 emissions by
passenger cars to 120 grams per kilometre by
the end of 2012. They have produced new
engine models that can reduce CO2 emissions by
up to 19%.
Energy: Istanbul performs well in the energy
category, ranking 11th overall and first in the
energy consumption subcategory. Istanbul’s
energy consumption per head is estimated at 36
gigajoules, less than one-half of the 30 city average
of 81 gigajoules.
Initiative: A new renewable-energy bill is expected
to be passed later in 2009, offering generous
electricity contract guarantees for new hydro,
wind, geothermal and solar power projects.
Buildings: Istanbul ranks poorly, in 28th place,
in the buildings category. The majority of Istanbul’s
buildings date from the 1960s onwards
and have been poorly constructed, with little
thought given to energy efficiency. Some new
buildings are being constructed with attempts at
energy efficiency, but there are no universal
standards in place.
Initiative: Discussions have begun about the
possibility of issuing buildings with “energy
deeds” that would identify the efficiency of their
energy use.
Transport: Istanbul ranks poorly, at 23rd, in the
transport category, because of the explosive
growth of private car ownership in the city since
the 1980s and the failure of authorities to make
sufficient investment in public transport to meet
the population’s growing needs.
Congestion remains the most pressing problem,
and all transport initiatives aim to address
this.
Initiative: Work is continuing on expanding the
city’s metro and tram lines, with ongoing construction
of 50 km of new line to be completed
by 2012; construction of a further 64 km awaiting
tender; plans being finalised for another 30
km; and the possible development of plans for a
further 293 km under discussion.
Water: Although Istanbul ranks only 23rd for
water, it performs well with regard to water consumption
per head, coming seventh overall in
this subcategory and first among cities with
high average temperatures.
Initiative: The city’s municipal water company,
ISKI, plans the construction of seven new biological
treatment plants capable of processing
70,000 cubic metres per day, to supply a storage
facility holding treated water for use in industry
and horticulture.
Waste and land use: Istanbul ranks 25th in the
waste and land use category, largely because of
the small amount of green space in the city — at
only 6.4 square metres per person — and its
poor record on recycling and waste management.
Most recycling is still conducted on an
informal basis by impoverished communities living
adjacent to landfill sites.
Initiative: In its 2007 strategic plan, Istanbul’s
municipality announced that it aimed to
increase the percentage of packaging materials
recycled from 15% in 2006 to 61% by 2011.
Air quality: Istanbul ranks 23rd for air quality,
which, given its size and the nature of its
growth, can be regarded as a relatively good performance.
High-grade imported coal and fuel oil
are still used, which accounts for the city’s poor
ranking on particulates.
Initiative: In its 2007 strategic plan, the municipality
stated its intention to increase the number
of air quality monitoring stations from 10 to
17 and to install public display systems indicating
air quality.
Environmental governance: Istanbul ranks
29th for environmental governance. This is partly
because regulations are routinely ignored.
Public participation in environmental debates is
not encouraged, and there has been little effort
to educate people or raise awareness of environmental
issues.
Initiative: The municipality of Istanbul is implementing
a new regulation plan in the period to
2010 that aims to institute a “preservation and
development” balance. The plan acknowledges
the effect of metropolitan settlement on the
environment.
Environmental governance Energy
6
62 63
Air Quality
CO2
10
8
4
2
0
Buildings
Waste and Land Use Transport
Water
Landfill
methane power
Istanbul
Best
Average
Two of Istanbul’s landfill waste sites have been
adapted to allow methane produced from
buried waste to be used by commercial power
plants. One site currently powers both a 7.5
mw and a 7 mw plant, which is already in the
process of being expanded to 14.3 mw. Two
further plants with capacities of 4 mw and 1
mw are under construction, and others are expected
to be built in the future as new landfill
sites are developed with power production as
part of the design criteria. These sites generate
methane-rich landfill gas as organic solid
waste gradually breaks down. To prevent uncontrolled
venting of the gas, it is extracted
via a network of pipes, processed and fed into
engines to generate an alternative supply of
electricity. Altogether, these four sites will be
able to produce enough energy to support the
requirements of around 100,000 households
in Istanbul. As a result, the sites have attracted
attention as one of the largest waste-to-energy
projects in the world.