Sea-set city carries on its tradition of transformation

08 Nov Sea-set city carries on its tradition of transformation

Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul, Turkey, outlines the municipal government’s democratic focus in tackling the city’s challenges and efforts taken to introduce sustainable practices and digital technologies for a smart new city of tomorrow.

What has Istanbul’s new municipal government done to develop the city?

I stand for being a just and democratic mayor; I strive to increase democratic participation in Istanbul and have taken many steps to ensure these values become a reality. We have established the first ever city council and implemented projects selected by citizens through a participatory budget mechanism. An atmosphere that fosters democratic dialogue, free speech and knowledge sharing are indispensable. We announced our vision for the city in the Istanbul Vision 2050 program that includes reducing carbon emissions. We are working to create a social and prosperous urban society. Our desire is to create a fair, green and creative city, which is not so difficult to achieve. Istanbul is a city of 20 million people, with residents, immigrants and tourists. In just one day, seven million people use public transport. There are two million college students and two and a half million secondary school students. One person, regardless of their skill and intellect, cannot manage a city of this magnitude; both Istanbul and Turkey are greater than one person. Almost all projects in Istanbul are selected through public participation and collective thinking. As Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), we often have differing views from the federal government. For example, the government is trying to impose the Istanbul Canal project, which both Istanbul residents and the municipal government are firmly opposed to. It is impossible for us to accept this imposition and we are continuing our struggle against it.
Since winning the local elections in 2019, the İBB has built its new approach to local government on consensus building and participatory policy implementation as a fundamental part of corporate culture. When formulating the strategic plan for the city, we carried out a process that set a new record in the direct participation rate involving the private sector, civil society, public institutions and direct citizens. This document, which sets forth the implementation plan of the municipality for the next five-year period and the allocation of financial resources, was crafted through the aforementioned consultation process. Challenges facing the city and expectations were taken into consideration. We also implemented social and spatial planning in thematic fields through participatory workshops and competitions. In the follow-up of this process, every policy area was thoughtfully considered together with the Istanbul Planning Agency. These processes were brought together under the Istanbul Vision 2050 program.

Istanbul will continue to implement its goal of creating a fair, green and creative city on the axis of cooperation and solidarity. Good governance begins with understanding the needs of all those living in the city, whether citizens, immigrants or refugees. We must also understand the needs of all entities that operate here, such as businesses and institutions. This means engaging with local communities in decision-making processes, which is one of the primary goals of our administration.

What is the municipal government doing to expand and redevelop Istanbul’s transportation networks?
Turkey’s first ever Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) was developed for Istanbul’s transport and currently planning is underway for the second phase. It is the first of such a plan for a city as populous as Istanbul and the first of its kind in Europe to be implemented in the pandemic period. The biggest difference between traditional transport plans and SUMP is that the latter is designed through participatory process to increase the quality of life by promoting mobility of citizens and companies in and around cities. This addresses transport and spatial concerns. Within the context of the plan, different projects were developed from uninterrupted transfer and integration on public transport to reducing congestion and lowering carbon emissions. A sustainable urban mobility office, a pedestrian directorate and bicycle office were all established under the İBB’s department of transportation.

Regarding rail systems, Istanbul is currently the city with the most subways in the world. We have a rail network of 163 miles. Restarting the halted subway construction was a priority as soon as we came into office. Through bold moves, we have secured financing. In our endeavor for comfortable and environmental inner-city travel, 13 rail systems are currently under construction. We aim to almost double the rail network by 2024; by the end of 2024, we will have 265 miles of rail. By the end of 2029, we expect to have completed 383 miles, and by the end of 2029 we aim to provide 500 miles of rail service. One of our biggest goals for the Istanbul transportation network is to increase the share of rail systems to 45 percent of the overall public transport system in the medium term. Due to poor planning and policies, our transportation system has become dependent on roads. We want a faster, more comfortable and greener means of transportation for the city.

What role has the government had in revamping Istanbul’s famous waterways and water transport?

The Golden Horne shipyard, which was on the brink of closure despite its historical significance and functionality, has been meticulously restored by our administration. The shipyard now undertakes the maintenance of ferries belonging to City Lines and other vessels belonging to the municipality at a lower cost. The shipyard also serves the private sector and public institutions. We produce our sea taxis at the Golden Horn shipyard and believe this will cause an increase in the share of sea transportation in Istanbul, which is in essence a sea city. The Golden Horn is an urban symbol that was marred by deep-sunk pollution that reduced the quality of life for many Istanbulites. We have revived the asset and a very populous district of Kadıköy known as Kurbağalıdere by cleaning the bottom sludge. We have since seen an increase in oxygen levels and rejuvenated life in the waterways. Further works are underway to keep the Bosporus clean. The İBB was at the forefront of the cleanup operation against the mucilage that invaded the Marmara Sea last summer. Our Beautiful When Clean project has installed garbage cans at certain points on the shoreline and waste continues to be collected.

What initiatives has the municipality created to lower carbon emissions and improve the lives of residents?

We are prioritizing decarbonization of existing road-based public transportation systems through our climate action plan and technical support from the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group to address increasing air pollution. We are aiming to decarbonize transportation by 2040 and to reach a carbon neutral Istanbul in all areas by 2050. Additionally, our Pop Machina project is being jointly run by İBB, Planet Turkey, Koç University and 23 stakeholders from across Europe. The initiative aims to contribute to socio-economic development by enabling the emergence of high value-added products from waste materials to promote environmental sustainability and support a circular economy.

What impact are digital technologies having on the lives of citizens in Istanbul, and what is the city doing to leverage these for more sustainable and robust platforms?
Today we live in physical and virtual worlds. By utilizing current technologies, we have created both physical and digital platforms that provide Istanbulites with a two-way communication capability. We provide services and information, and residents provide us with feedback, making us more receptive to their needs.  In addition to kiosks located throughout the city, we have developed an app called Istanbul is Yours to facilitate quick access to the city’s services. The app has a built-in mini survey called Have Your Say where we ask people their opinions on decisions pertaining to the city. Results are then shared through a blockchain-based digital ID that we developed. We are acutely aware of the digital divide, and we have mapped it out to better target delivery of our digital services. We are one of the few metropolises to have taken such an initiative. We are especially proud of our programs designed to introduce children to the digital age.
We know that innovation runs on data. Istanbul launched its Open Data Portal in 2020, making us the first city in Turkey to adopt an open data culture. We want to mobilize Turkey’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to solve existing problems and better design our future. We have held hackathons and ideathons; we seek to reach as many innovators as possible. Zemin İstanbul is the physical center of this ecosystem, serving citizens of all ages. Our data analytics laboratory is our center for data-based innovation. It will be made available for use by citizens who do not have access to a computer or software development tools. Next year we will launch a mobility lab and a smart city lab, where we will bring together the municipality’s subsidiary companies and innovators to address specific issues facing the city. Our governance model is built on participatory democracy, which will only be enriched with opportunities technology provides citizens for participation. Good governance also demands accountability and transparency. Our open data culture will promote both. It will also serve as the foundation for innovation in Istanbul. We formulated the Istanbul Smart City Strategic Plan, which is a legal document ensuring the sustainability of the innovation ecosystem we are currently building for future generations of Istanbulites.

Why is Istanbul an attractive place for foreign direct investment and those looking to move to a new city?
Istanbul is a 1,700-year-old cosmopolitan megacity that is home to people from all over the world that flock to it to realize their dreams. There are employment opportunities for highly skilled employees in many sectors such as logistics, banking, digital technologies, media, communication, energy, tourism, gastronomy, health and education. With 91 museums, 901 movie theaters, 211 theaters and three opera houses, there is plenty to keep the art lovers happy. In the last two years we have created 4 million square meters of green space. We have seven marinas with a combined capacity of 5,000 vessels. Istanbul offers a good life for those who seek a life intertwined with the open seas. Visiting the quiet islands of the city through short ferry rides is a great pleasure. Our ongoing investments in enormous wastewater treatment facilities will increase the quality of water over time. Those who want a green and climate-conscious future will not be disappointed; the local government aims for carbon-neutrality through the reduction of carbon emissions by 61 percent by 2050.
For ambitious companies, Istanbul is the economic center of the region. The city offers important trade and market opportunities with an annual economy of $245 billion and a foreign trade volume of $208 billion. The average age of the population is the youngest in Europe at just 30 years old. Citizens are constantly increasing their qualifications, making Istanbul a great pool for human talent. Three international airports provide flights to 318 cities across 124 countries. Our two international seaports experience an average volume of 40 million tons of freight traffic every year. Known as the Spirit of Galata, the city has embraced international trade and production for centuries.

The 21st century will be one of great enterprise for Istanbul. Within the framework of mobility, waste management, clean energy and sustainable urban transformation, investments are being accelerated. The post-COVID-19 recovery period for Europe presents a great opportunity for Istanbul as over 40 percent of its exports are to the European region. The safe and legal flow of capital is ensured by 28 different banks, which have nearly 3,700 branches across the city and some of the world’s best online banking. Istanbul is home to 61 universities and 11 techno parks. It is an important center for research and development that will create the next generation of environmentally friendly and sustainable production technologies. This ancient city has survived throughout history by renewing itself and will continue to be a pioneer in innovation. The sacred city has been the capital of many great civilizations for centuries. It contains many symbolic elements of both Islam and Christianity. Istanbul is Turkey’s locomotive. It is a city full of people who are open and receptive to progress and change. It is a city of opportunities.