At the closing session of the International Green Buildings and Cities Summit, Prof. Dr. Celal Şengör, the closing speaker, discussed the sustainability dimension of human life in a session moderated by journalist Ali Çağatay. In his speech, Şengör reminded the audience that climate change has been a recurring issue on our planet and emphasized that without understanding these processes in the light of science, it is impossible to address today’s problems effectively.

The 7th edition of the International Green Buildings and Cities Summit, organized annually by the Environmentally Friendly Green Buildings Association (ÇEDBİK) to highlight the importance of sustainability in the real estate sector, was held at Swissotel The Bosphorus with the support of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change.

With the theme of “Zero Construction: Human Life,” the summit attracted significant interest, especially in a period where the need for safe and accessible living spaces is more pressing than ever. The summit focused on “human-centered” green building and city solutions that sustainability offers. Six important topics were discussed during the sessions, where industry leaders exchanged knowledge on “Sustainability for a Human Life,” “Green Buildings and Campuses,” “Financing Sustainability,” “ESG in Real Estate,” “Sustainable Cities,” and “Technology in Buildings.”

The summit, which was supported by nearly 100 organizations and attended by 450 participants, included panelists such as Banu Aslan, Director General of Professional Services at the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, Murat Bayram, Director of the Energy Efficiency Department, and Esra Turan Tombak, Director of the External Investment Department. The participants included representatives from academia and the private sector.

Şengör: Nature Won’t Allow You to Sustain It If It Doesn’t Permit

In the closing discussion of the summit, moderated by journalist Ali Çağatay, Prof. Dr. Celal Şengör shared his views on the sustainability dimension of human life. In this segment, Şengör addressed topics such as the scientific aspect of sustainability, renewable energy policies, the contribution of environmentally conscious construction to the climate crisis, and also shared his thoughts on the social and sociological definition of human life.

Offering a perspective on Earth’s geological processes and sustainability from a natural scientist’s point of view, Şengör reminded the audience that there is only one question all stakeholders must ask when building eco-friendly structures and creating a sustainable future. He stated that every step taken and every project developed can only be implemented to the extent that nature allows. “The sustainable environment we want to create is as sustainable as the Earth allows. If nature doesn’t allow it, no matter what you do, you cannot sustain it. You cannot fight nature, because nature always wins. We must never forget this truth. What we are experiencing today is not significant for the Earth; it has happened before. However, today’s issues are the ones that mostly threaten the human species,” he said.

“We Cannot Deal with Today’s Realities Without Learning from Past Climate Changes”

Focusing on global warming and climate change, Şengör presented scientific data showing the changes that have occurred in the Earth’s history over hundreds of millions of years. He emphasized that the climate events we face today have occurred many times before, and each of them bears similarities to what we are experiencing now. Şengör highlighted that learning from and understanding past climate changes is the key to better handling the realities of today. He continued:

“Our world is currently in an ice age. The period we are in began 35 million years ago with the expansion of glaciers in Antarctica. This has happened before, and the glaciers have since disappeared. Around 110 million years ago, during a period when there were no glaciers at the poles, sea levels were 100 meters higher. We are concerned about what we would do if the sea level rises by 1-2 meters. 110 million years ago, humans didn’t exist, and there were no fossil fuels or greenhouse gases. The Earth’s temperature was 4-5 degrees higher. Today, we are concerned about a 1-2 degree increase. We agree that the Earth is warming, and it will continue to warm. Today, we are just accelerating this process. In fact, no matter what you do, the planet doesn’t care. If we want sustainability, we need to learn how to communicate with the planet.”

Population Growth: A Major Factor in Temperature Increase

Şengör also mentioned that global population growth is a significant factor in rising temperatures. Research shows that the emission of gases that accelerate warming has increased with the growing population. Sharing academic studies with participants, he pointed out that the population explosion in the 1900s accelerated global warming. He said, “Can the Earth support this many people? Yes, it can. It can support even more, but with one condition: the majority of the population must be civilized. Today, we are witnessing the collapse of civilizations. In environmental meetings, we are not fully understanding the problems. This is a very serious issue. We need individuals who believe in and understand basic sciences, particularly natural sciences.”

“We Must Utilize Solar Energy as Much as Possible”

Regarding renewable energy sources, Şengör shared scientific data on their importance and what can be done in the coming years. He mentioned that the region, including Turkey, is rapidly warming and that by the second half of the 21st century, it could face the threat of desertification. He also stated that our region will experience water scarcity. Emphasizing the importance of solar energy as the most crucial renewable energy source, he added:

“Water, which we consider renewable, will gradually decrease in the coming decades. Similarly, wind energy will also decrease. The only thing that will increase is the sun, and we must make the most of it. Solar energy should be considered as a very important energy source in buildings that will be constructed.”