Environmental Responsibilities

Natural environment consists of all living and nonliving things occurring naturally such as land, water, air, plants, and animals.

The overall quantity of greenhouse gases that a human, manufactured goods or
business emits directly or indirectly. If a settlement’s footprint is larger than the area occupied by that settlement, that settlement cannot be maintained independently (Yıldırım & Göktürk, 2004; Çankır, Semiz Çelik & Aktaş 2014).

Meaning in environmental use: a measure of energy impairment, indicating that it is not suitable for recycling for the same use. Energy can be given as an example here. For example, once a kilowatt of electricity is manufactured and used, it cannot be used as electricity for a second time. In addition, it ensures that less than 1 kW is consumed even if electricity is stored.

Some of the most common factors leading to environmental damage and resource depletion are:

Consumers’ income growth. Improved wealth, assessed by individual revenue per capita, directed to boosting consumption, expenditure, and waste.
Establishment of materialistic cultural values. Values and morals changed to emphasize expenditure over conservation- “bigger is better”, “me first” and a mindset that believes in a convincing understanding of morality.
Urbanization. People who had previously consumed their own produce in the small villages migrated to the cities day by day have caused pollution (air, water, waste etc.), as demonstrated by Los Angeles, New York City, Mexico City, Sao
Paulo, and İstanbul, to name a few.
Population explosion. Population increase implies further industrialization, manufactured goods use, waste, and pollution.
New and uncontrolled technologies. Technologies can be manufactured by companies that concentrate on revenue, comfort, and consumption according to environmental protection. Even though this moral scheme has altered, the perspective of environmental protection is still not so mainstream.
Industrial activities. Industrial activities, leading to the depletion of natural resources and the devastating use of the ecosystem for commercial purposes, have triggered considerable environmental degradation.

The ten basic environmental problems that should be considered by businesses are: climate change, energy, water, biodiversity, chemicals, toxics, and heavy metals, air pollution, waste management, ozone depletion, oceans and
fisheries, deforestation.

Climate change implies a major change in any long-term (decades or longer) climate measure, as well as temperature, wind and precipitation (http14). Another definition for climate change is loss of biological reserves, extinction of species and ecological damages triggered by emissions and wastes caused by
unsustainable expenditure and fabrication patterns.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (http-13) has clearly established  procedures designed at ecological risk assessment:
• At Phase I (Problem Formulation: Identifies the potentially at-risk ecological asset); gathering information about things that may risk.
• At Phase II (Analysis Phase: Categorizes knowledge to estimate ecological reactions to environmental hazards under a variety of exposure circumstances): determining what is released, the volume of exposure, and the possibility of dangerous environmental effects.
• At Phase III (Risk Characterization: Definition and assessment of risk based
on information collected in Phases I and II): This disclosure gives the measure of
confidence in risk assessments, any evidence validating the outcomes and the clarification of the forecasted environmental effects.

The purpose of Paris agreement is determined as follows; “The agreement aims to improve the implementation of UNFCCC in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. The long-term goal of the agreement is to keep the global average temperature increase 2°C below the pre-industrial period. In addition, it refers to the continuation of global efforts to keep this increase below 1.5°C. Increasing adaptability and climate resistance against the adverse effects of climate change; providing development with low greenhouse
gas emissions and not harming food production while achieving these are among the other main objectives. Finally, stabilizing the flow of finance is among the goals on the path to low emission and climate resilient development.” (http-3)

Species diversity provides tangible benefits for humans by providing genetic material for new crop varieties and new drugs. The fact that 9 of the top 10 medicines in the USA are produced from natural sources reveals the dependence of humans on other species. It is not possible for humanity to make agricultural, medical and other breakthroughs unless other species continue to exist.

As every natural species is part of an important and complex chain of events
in the ecosystem, the loss of any of these species can threaten the entire ecosystem. For instance, pollinators take part in an essential role in the growth
of fruits and vegetables by distributing pollen from plant to plant. The expansion and general use of increased pesticides has diminished bee, insect and bat populations required to support reproduce plants. Without these species, the planet’s nutrition resource could be fatally compromised.

The use of toxic substances leads to two problems: The first is to be unaware of the effects on humans and the bio-environment, particularly the long-term and interactive effects of exposure to the large number of chemicals that are usually
produced each year. Second, toxic substances can be associated with industrial accidents and can cause unpredictable biological damage.

Waste management is defined as control strategies to decrease the amount and poisonousness of hazardous waste at every phase of the waste flow
(Callan & Thomas, 2012). Waste flow refers to a chain of actions that begin with waste production and carry on with the transport, storage, processing, and disposal of these substances.

In the USA, the regulatory agency coping with environmental issues and implementing environmental legislature is the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA was established in 1970 to conduct environmental investigation, deliver support in combating pollution, and coordinate environmental institutions interested in implementing the country’s environmental laws.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) is an agency of the European Union (EU). Their task is to supply sound, self-governing data on the environment. They tend to be a significant info supplier for those concerned in developing,
adopting, implementing and evaluating environmental policy, and conjointly the general public.

The General Directorate of Environmental Management as a directorate attached to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization is an institution that takes measures to prevent human health and environmental pollution within the
framework of sustainable development principles, ensures effective use of administrative, legal, financial, human and environmental resources, and guarantees the right to live in a healthy environment (http-4).

As presented in Figure 3.2, environmental performance can raise income in
three ways: via better entry to certain markets, differentiation of goods, and the trade of waste know-how.

OSTİM Technical University and Siemens Turkey are the first organizations to make appointments to the Chief Sustainability Officer position in Turkey.

The Istanbul Stock Exchange (BIST) established the BIST Sustainability Index (XUSRD). This index provides a criterion for companies with high performance in corporate sustainability and aims to increase sustainability awareness, knowledge and practices in Turkey. (http-5). The index is also a platform
for institutional investors to demonstrate their commitment to companies that manage environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues with high performance.

Better environmental management efforts can decrease charges by improving risk management and stakeholder interactions, decreasing the quantity of things and energy used, and reducing capital and employment charges.

To regulate laws and impose sanctions on businesses to manage waste the Turkish government issued Turkey’s Zero Waste Management System on June
12, 2019 which aims to reduce the volume of waste regulation. For example, the use of paid bags to reduce the use of plastic bags has been an important step in this regard.