From EİB: 2,160 Saplings for 2020 Export Champions

Export champions they became, and enabled 2,160 saplings to flourish for a greener world. The Aegean Water Products and Animal Products Exporters Association and the Aegean Furniture Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association created an "EİB Grove" in Kınık district of Izmir in cooperation with the Aegean Forest Foundation for the 2020 export champions. At the "Stars of Exports Awards Ceremony," the Aegean Water Products and Animal Products Exporters Association donated 1,800 saplings for 15 member companies that placed, and the Aegean Furniture Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association donated 360 saplings for successful member companies. Jak Eskinazi, Coordinator President of the Aegean Exporters Associations, who visited the EİB Grove in Kınık, stated that one of the most important steps to be taken to meet the targets set out in the "European Union Green Deal," the world's biggest step against global climate change, is to increase forest resources. Speaking to the effect that "We implemented the Green Deal Action Plan to stop Turkey from being negatively affected by global climate change," Eskinazi said, "We reorganized the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization as the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. We ratified the Paris Agreement. Once we signed the Paris Agreement, we set a net-zero emissions target for 2053. To reach our net-zero target as a country, we need to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent. As Turkey, we must reduce our current greenhouse gas emissions of 506 million tonnes to around 100 million tonnes in 32 years, and we must work to achieve our net-zero target by trapping the remaining 100 million tonnes of greenhouse gas in our forests. As EİB, we took a step in this direction today. For our 57 companies that will receive awards at the Stars of Exports Awards Ceremony we will hold on 24 November, we will also create a new grove in this area together with the Aegean Forest Foundation," he said.

"We demonstrated how to hold an environmentally conscious awards ceremony"

Bedri Girit, President of the Aegean Water Products and Animal Products Exporters Association, stated that 78 percent of their exports in 2020 were realized by 15 companies that won awards at the "Stars of Exports Awards Ceremony," that they organized an environmentally conscious awards ceremony from the invitation to the certificate for successful exporters who produce sustainably and stock the world's tables, that they crowned this by creating a grove on behalf of successful exporting companies, that they are pleased to demonstrate how an environmentally conscious awards ceremony can be held, and that they will continue to hold environmentally conscious awards ceremonies in the coming years.

"Our life is the forest. We earn our bread from the forests"

Cahit Doğan Yağcı, President of the Aegean Furniture Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association, pointing out that the raw materials of the furniture, paper and non-wood forest products they export are sourced from forests, said, "Our life is the forest. We earn our bread from the forests. Forests have double importance for us. In these days when we are heading towards a climate crisis, increasing our forest resources has become imperative. We also joined this mobilization." Yasemen Bilgili, Deputy General Manager of the Aegean Forest Foundation, said, "In the new economic model that works for both people and the planet with the goal of a sustainable future; we thank you for your support and awareness of our responsibility to leave a 'resilient world' to future generations." She presented a plaque to Jak Eskinazi, Coordinator President of the Aegean Exporters Associations. At the end of the visit, the saplings were planted and watered. The visit to the EİB Grove created in Kınık through cooperation between the Aegean Exporters Associations and the Aegean Forest Foundation was attended by: Jak Eskinazi, Coordinator President of the Aegean Exporters Associations; Bedri Girit, President of the Aegean Water Products and Animal Products Exporters Association; Cahit Doğan Yağcı, President of the Aegean Furniture Paper and Forest Products Exporters Association; Mustafa Terci, President of the Aegean Cereals Legumes Oil Seeds and Products Exporters Association; Birol Celep, President of the Aegean Dried Fruits and Products Exporters Association; and Yasemen Bilgili, Deputy General Manager of the Aegean Forest Foundation.