The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is joining forces with the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality (BMM) for the development of a Green City Action Plan (GCAP).

The GCAP will include detailed actions comprising of priority infrastructure investments and policy interventions that help Bursa address its environmental challenges and guide urban development along more sustainable and resilient pathways.

To mark the official start of the GCAP development process, a Launch Event was jointly organized by BMM and EBRD on 29 May 2024. The Launch Event was followed by a Stakeholder Engagement Workshop which provided a platform for a range of city stakeholders to share their views on the key areas that Bursa’s GCAP should focus on.   

The development of this GCAP is supported by the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), part of the Climate Investment Funds partnership. A consultant team, led by AtkinsRéalis with GREEN Engineering as the local technical partner, will support EBRD and BMM to develop the Bursa GCAP.

Speaking at the launch event of GCAP for BMM, on 29 May 2024, Nandita Parshad, EBRD’s Managing Director for the Sustainable Infrastructure Group, highlighted the significance of Bursa joining the EBRD Green Cities initiative: "Today marks the commencement of Bursa's journey with the EBRD Green Cities Program - a significant step towards a more sustainable future. By joining the program, Bursa is taking decisive action to confront the significant environmental challenges posed by urbanisation. We are privileged to accompany Bursa on its green journey and eagerly look forward to continuing our collaboration to improve the lives of its citizens through investments that focus on a green, sustainable, and resilient future."

In his speech, Mayor Mustafa Bozbey emphasized the importance of addressing Bursa's environmental challenges: "Within the framework of the Green City Action Plan, we will identify the environmental challenges in our city. We will determine the issues that need urgent attention and work on solutions as quickly as possible. We understand that these issues won't be resolved overnight. We have a long and challenging road ahead. However, we must move forward together. Motivated by our love for Bursa, we can build a more livable, healthier, and more beautiful future in a short time. We must protect and enhance this beautiful city for future generations. I thank everyone who has participated and contributed to this program."

The development of the GCAP is being carried out as part of the EBRD’s flagship ‘Green Cities’ programme, through which EBRD has mobilised more than 5 billion Euro support to over fifty cities across EBRD’s countries of operation to aid their transition to a green, low-carbon, and resilient future. After this successful start to the Bursa GCAP development process, the consultant team will continue working with BMM on a holistic technical analysis of key sectors and environmental challenges in Bursa that will be used to inform the development of detailed actions.

Izmir, Istanbul, Ankara and Gaziantep are also part of the EBRD Green Cities program in Türkiye.

The EBRD is one of Türkiye’s key investors, with €19.6 billion invested across 441 projects and through trade finance limits since 2009, of which 93 per cent has been channeled to the private sector.