Professor: Türkiye faces challenges in protecting water resources

Türkiye plays an important role in water management, facing a number of challenges in water resources protection and transformation, President of the Turkish Water Institute (SUEN), Professor Lutfi Akca said at the panel "Water Strategies: Infrastructure and Digitalization" within the Baku Water Week, Report informs.

He noted that Türkiye suffers greatly from climate change due to its location in the Mediterranean basin: "In recent years, the country has experienced drought, irregular rainfall and floods in the southern regions. Due to limited water resources, Türkiye pays special attention to responsible and sustainable use of water."

The professor added that in Türkiye, the country's five transboundary river basins provide about 40% of the total water potential.

He stressed that cooperation on transboundary waters should be carried out on the basis of scientific principles, taking into account the unique needs and conditions of each basin: "Experience shows that cooperation between countries is not only possible, but also necessary. Türkiye has been implementing projects for many years based on the principles of fair, equitable and appropriate use of water. In order to solve problems in transboundary basins, it is important for all states to commit to responsible and efficient use of water sources."