MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, URBANIZATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE
General Directorate of the European Union and Foreign Relations
IPA ENVIRONMENT and CLIMATE PROGRAMME

News

The First Steering Committee Meeting (SCM) of the IPA III project entitled “Establishment of an Ecoregion-Based Ecological Assessment System for Water Quality in Türkiye” was held on 11 December 2025.

The First Steering Committee Meeting (SCM) held within the scope of the IPA III period project entitled “Establishment of an Ecoregion-Based Ecological Assessment System of Water Quality in Türkiye” took place on 11 December 2025 at the General Directorate of Water Management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, under the chairmanship of Deputy Director General for Water Management, Mr. Neşat Onur Şanlı.

The meeting was attended by Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail Raci Bayer, Head of the Project Implementation Department of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change; representatives of the General Directorate of Water Management as the Final Beneficiary; Ms. Asuman Özaltay, representative of the EU Delegation to Türkiye; Ms. Nurhan Şen, Contract Expert; representatives of the consultancy firm; and representatives of relevant stakeholder institutions.

Within the scope of the meeting, presentations were delivered by the contractor on the activities carried out to date and the activities planned for the upcoming period. Throughout the meeting, the parties shared their views, assessments, and recommendations.

About the Project

The ongoing project entitled ‘Establishment of Ecoregions Based Ecological Assessment System of Water Quality in Türkiye’ aims to support the sustainable use of water resources, ensure the effective management of protected areas, and contribute to the long-term conservation of water-dependent natural ecosystems. In this context, the project constitutes an important step toward strengthening integrated water management at local and national levels and ensuring alignment with EU environmental legislation, by directly contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Water Framework Directive.

Within the scope of the project:

  • Biological and hydromorphological indices suitable for Türkiye’s conditions will be developed.
  • Based on ecoregions, reference conditions and reference sites will be determined for each type of water body, taking biological quality elements as a basis. These reference sites will also serve as a foundation for protected area studies.
  • For the first time in Türkiye, the impacts of climate change on aquatic ecosystems, water quality, and the ecological assessment system will be addressed through a holistic approach.
  • Activities aimed at strengthening institutional capacity will be carried out.
  • Public awareness on water quality will be raised through public service announcements and documentary productions.