Sustainable Climate Action Policy
By adopting sustainability principles, we support Turkey's designated climate change action plans through education, research, actions, and community engagement, aiming to generate solutions for a sustainable future.
Defined Strategies:
- Embedding sustainability in the curriculum of all fields to ensure sustainability-focused education,
- Developing educational and awareness programs on sustainability and climate change,
- Promoting innovative, sustainable, and climate-friendly practices among researchers and scientific workers,
- Implementing measures for natural water resource conservation, including reuse of treated water and efficient maintenance of rainwater harvesting systems,
- Enhancing energy efficiency through building and infrastructure improvements,
- Reducing operational impact through waste management, water conservation, and use of renewable energy,
- Collaborating with students, staff, and local communities to create sustainability projects,
- Integrating and applying smart technologies based on sustainability principles and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to improve environmental system efficiency,
- Establishing and promoting student clubs focused on sustainability and environmental issues, supporting them in awareness-raising activities,
- Highlighting sustainability and environmental initiatives through communication channels like social media and local media, while fostering national and international collaborations,
- Training scientists who can actively participate in or contribute to the identification and implementation of local, regional, national, and international climate action goals.
- Measurable Targets:
1. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the university by 50% by 2030.
2. Reducing campus waste by 30% by 2025.
3. Reducing energy consumption by 20% by 2025, with 50% of energy sourced from renewables.
4. Ensuring every student and staff member participates in at least one training program on sustainability and climate change.
5. The university has a net-zero carbon target by 2053.
The strategies determined by our university are adopted with the aim of reaching national and international goals and fostering a sustainable lifestyle. Subcategories have been developed to achieve the related strategies and targets, as outlined below:
Sustainable Water Management
Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University adopts the Sustainable Green Campus policy, aiming to prioritize environmental awareness in all university activities, conducting environmental initiatives, and embedding sustainability as a lifestyle for students and employees during and beyond their academic careers.
- **Within the framework of the Sustainable Green Campus policy**, the university is responsible for identifying and managing all water resources (tap water, gray water, rainwater, wastewater) within its jurisdiction. Accordingly, (a) monitoring, recording, minimizing water use, and reducing water losses and leaks; (b) treating gray and rainwater to minimize adverse health and environmental impacts and monitoring treated/used water quantities; and (c) ensuring safe discharge and drainage of wastewater, excluding recyclable waters such as gray water, are conducted by the relevant university departments.
- The university establishes a sustainable green university strategy, completes institutional structuring, and performs necessary reporting and monitoring through relevant commissions. Data analyses are conducted in line with sustainable development goals and presented to the Rectorate.
- Liste elemanıFollowing the sustainable water management policy, the university works on water recovery, reuse, wastewater treatment, efficiency in treatment processes, and reducing the water footprint, supported by related academic units.
- **Following the principles of Zero Discharge and Zero Waste**, university units integrate the reuse of wastewater in their development plans, design, research, and development projects.
- Measures are taken to economically use water sourced from natural resources for agriculture, landscaping, and human needs, exploring alternative water sources.
- The university promotes a shared consciousness for economical water use and implements awareness campaigns on responsible water consumption.
- The university aims to collaborate on water security at the local, regional, national, and global levels.
- Our university prioritizes sustainable water management as part of its responsibilities towards ecosystem protection, wildlife preservation, human health, and community welfare. Wastewater discharge is conducted following the water quality standards set by Turkey’s Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, aiming to minimize adverse effects on the natural water cycle. Discharged water quality is regularly monitored, analyzed, and reported by independent laboratories accredited by the Ministry. This process not only fulfills legal requirements but also contributes to the conservation of water resources, aligned with our environmental responsibilities.