Türkiye's Climate Risks Mount As Water Shortages Threaten Cities, Farms And Industry

(MENAFN- AzerNews)

By News Centre

As Türkiye prepares to host the COP31 summit in Antalya this November, the AXA Türkiye Climate Report 2026, jointly developed by AXA Climate and AXA Türkiye, reveals how climate change and natural disasters could fundamentally reshape the nation's risk landscape.

Commenting on the findings, Yavuz Ölken, CEO of AXA Türkiye, stated: "The picture presented by the AXA Türkiye Climate Report 2026 clearly demonstrates how climate risks vary across different regions of Türkiye and how they can generate wide-ranging impacts extending from daily life to the broader economy."

Prepared through a collaborative effort between AXA Climate and AXA Türkiye, the AXA Türkiye Climate Report 2026 highlights the risks climate change could pose over the next 25 years across a broad spectrum-from water resources and agriculture to urban areas and critical infrastructure-while illustrating how Türkiye's overall risk map is shifting.

According to the report, approximately 65 million people in Türkiye could face high or very high levels of water stress by 2050, while 23 million people could be exposed to heat stress. Officially launched during Insurance Week with presentations by AXA Türkiye CEO Yavuz Ölken and Yekta Kopan, the report identifies water scarcity, extreme heat, wildfires, floods, and landslides as the most prominent climate risks for the upcoming era.

The report emphasizes that these interconnected risks make the resilience of cities, agricultural production, energy and transport infrastructure, supply chains, and local economies increasingly vital.

The projection that nearly 65 million people face high or very high water stress by 2050 represents approximately 74 percent-nearly three-quarters-of Türkiye's current population. Concurrently, driven by rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, and growing water demand, roughly 66 percent of the country's landmass could experience significant water shortages.

Shifts in water resources are set to directly impact multiple sectors, ranging from urban water supply and agricultural yield to industrial operations and energy generation. Consequently, proactive measures taken today in water management will play a pivotal role in strengthening adaptation capacity against future climate risks.

Underlining the necessity of taking immediate action while making climate risks visible, AXA Türkiye CEO Yavuz Ölken noted:

"The picture presented by the AXA Türkiye Climate Report 2026 clearly demonstrates how climate risks vary across different regions of Türkiye and how they can generate wide-ranging impacts extending from daily life to the broader economy. Climate change is no longer a future scenario; it is an active risk domain whose direct economic, social, and insurance implications are felt today."

Ölken added that climate change represents a new reality transforming the operational dynamics of the insurance industry itself:

"For this reason, it is of paramount importance to better understand risks, develop earlier forecasts using data, and contribute to risk mitigation. We must elevate the role of insurance beyond merely compensating for realized damages, adopting an approach that contributes to the enhanced protection of our customers and society. As AXA Türkiye, we work to anticipate risks, raise awareness, contribute to loss prevention, and strengthen society's capacity to adapt to changing conditions. We find the initiatives of public institutions-particularly the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, and AFAD-extremely valuable and support them. With the knowledge, experience, and risk management perspective that insurance possesses, we will resolutely continue to contribute to our country's future."

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