Red flags of the environmental crisis point to the urgent need for global action against multilateral climate change. In return, the 2016 Paris Agreement, which is the first global and legally binding agreement for climate crisis, calls on all nations to play an active role in the process of limiting global warming. This call refers to our responsibility to protect the earth as well as a global requirement for socio-political and commercial sustainability. Now, it has become inevitable to carry out universal, regional and national socio-economic, legal and political transformations in order to foster climate resilience under the guidance of the best available science. The EU, one of the signatories of the agreement, has even older-dated directives to unify and harmonize the eco-friendly policies in Europe. The Regulation for Combined Transportation (“the Regulation”) is one of Turkey’s answers to this call of harmonization and unification against the environmental crisis as the Regulation has been prepared in reference to the Council Directive 92/106/EEC.
Turkey has been developing its own plans in order to contribute to a sustainable balance between global environmental targets and socio-economic goals. (Please click here to see one of our recent Client Alerts on earlier steps that Turkey has taken to support the global action for the reduction of carbon footprint in transport.) Undoubtedly, Turkey’s newly-enacted Regulation for Combined Transportation is part of this international action displaying that Turkey will further support the spread of these eco-friendly policies in combined transportation.
Combined Transportation is a special form of intermodal freight transport, which involves the movement of loaded units in large containers or swap bodies through two or more modes of transport without handling the goods themselves when changing these modes. The Regulation lists green logistics activities and states that the businesses that carry out these activities would be granted a “Green Logistics Certificate”, which provide them with various advantages and privileges.
The Regulation reflects the supportive approach of the Turkish authorities of green logistics activities, which aim to reduce the negative impacts of transportation with an eco-friendly approach. According to the Regulation, some of the requirements to obtain Green Logistics Certificate are as follows: to carry out, at least, 200 combined transport trips annually; to plant at least 500 saplings annually; to make at least, %5 recyclable green packaging annually; to save at least % 5 in energy and water use annually; and to have a Renewable Energy Source Guarantee Certificate (YEK-G) or International Green Energy Certificate (I-REC), which shows that at least % 5 of your energy consumption is met from renewable energy sources. Note that if you lose your certificate for not meeting the requirements during the annual audit, you will not be able to apply for a new certificate in the following five years.
What happens if you get the certificate? The answer is: Those who are entitled to get the Certificate may also become one the future winners of the Green Logistics Awards. Plus, you get good discounts on various fees. The Regulation further states that there may be additional privileges and exemptions for the certificate holders in the near future.
On top of everything, as the holder of Green Logistics Certificate, you show to the world that you care about the protection of our planet by standing against climate crisis with your eco-friendly choices of transport and energy. Remember, Green is the new Black! Your perspective on the environmental problems or your position in the global action against the climate crisis is one of the main differentiators that singles you out from the businesses of the 21st century. Apparently, all you need is Green to empower your business with better logistics.
Then, make green your favorite color!