As the climate change toughens, the issue of water scarcity has become one of the most favourite topics in media. August edition of Bilgi Cagi magazine also deals with ‘water’ issue; however, the magazine brings a new perspective to the issue by not only presenting the situation in Turkey, but also taking the suggestions of the researchers and experts in the fields and proposing solutions as well as a roadmap to overcome the water related challenges.
‘Water’ Issue of Bilgi Cagi magazine questions the fact that despite being surrounded with waters and having rich water resources, why Turkey is facing with water scarcity, drought and water pollution and how Turkey can overcome these problems.
The magazine takes the views of the experts in the field. Dr. Galip Yüce is one of the researchers that share his views with the magazine readers. Dr. Galip Yüce, Hydrogeologist and the Head of Geology Department in Eskisehir Osmangazi University emphasizes that the most important reasons of water pollution are increasing immigration, agricultural and industrial wastes, and tourism and he draws attention to the need of preventing water pollution before trying to build purification plants. In order to deal with the water scarcity, Yüce suggests starting the training programmes that will build the environmental conscious in primary school children, defining the circulation type of underground water for water monitoring, and building Turkish Ministry of Water.
Prof. Dr. İzzet Öztürk from İstanbul Technical University Environmental Engineering Department, believes that if Turkey develops river basin protection plans and prevent the water loss, there will not be any need to benefit from the sea water. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Güler, the Dean of Gazi University Engineering and Architecture Faculty, underlines the fact that local municipalities do not have enough purification systems and the percentage of Turkish municipalities with a purification plants is only 8. Like Öztürk, Güler also emphasizes the need for better basin management systems and prevention of the losses in the water networks.
Leyla Arsan, TAGES CEO, provides examples of research and technological developments in Europe to prevent and deal with water related problems and gives information on European cooperation networks on water. She also gives suggestions such as developing a water policy which is integrated with environmental, energy, science and technology policies, encouraging the private sector to participate in water research projects, establishing a water industry by building a common platform from R&D projects to investment projects, from entrepreneurship to campaigns, and building water related technology platforms.
‘Water’ Issue of Bilgi Cagi magazine also presents stories of successful projects in Turkey such as European research projects on water which are also supported by the European Union.
To read more on ‘WATER’ you may look at Bilgi Cagi Magazine:
TAGES is one of the main contributors in Bilgi Cagi magazine which is published monthly with a vision to watch R&D and innovation processes of Turkey where the target mass is public organisations, NGOs, private sector, universities and all parties responsible for the R&D and innovation improvement of Turkey.
