Mayor Aras: “We Will Make Muğla a Resilient City with Collective Wisdom and Sustainable Solutions”

16 Dec Mayor Aras: “We Will Make Muğla a Resilient City with Collective Wisdom and Sustainable Solutions”

President of the Coastal Aegean Municipalities Union and Mayor of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, Ahmet Aras, stated at the 6th International Resilience Congress of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (TBB): “A resilient city is not only about solving today’s problems but also about preparing cities for the future. In Muğla, we continue our efforts in this regard.”

The 6th International Resilience Congress, organized under the coordination of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, was held in Ankara with the theme “Sustainable Strong Future.” Hosted at the TBB service building, the congress aimed to contribute to enhancing urban resilience by addressing disaster risks, resilience, and climate change.

The congress continued with the panel titled “Sustainable Resilient Future,” where metropolitan and provincial mayors who had experienced or could potentially face disasters spoke as panelists. The panel featured President of the Coastal Aegean Municipalities Union and Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Ahmet Aras, Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Zeydan Karalar, Zonguldak Mayor Tahsin Erdem, and Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Bozbey.

Mayor Aras: “We Meet All Requested Needs in Forest Fires”

Speaking at the congress, President of the Coastal Aegean Municipalities Union and Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, Ahmet Aras, said, “In 2021, we fought against wildfires and lost approximately 10% of our forest assets. Muğla is one of the three provinces in Turkey with the highest forest coverage. Due to its location in the Mediterranean, Muğla is also among the provinces most affected by the climate crisis. One of the reasons for the 2021 fires was extremely dry weather, heat, and unstable winds.

Metropolitan municipalities do not have duties or authority over forest fires. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is responsible for responding to forest fires. The prevention of forest fires, the authority and responsibility over this matter, and all preventive measures to be taken before a fire are under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s jurisdiction. It is not right to criticize municipalities regarding forest fires. A municipality intervenes only if a request comes from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Air support could not be deployed, especially in high-risk fire areas. We provide full support to the ministry in every matter they request. We have equipped our fire department to intervene in forest fires. Additionally, we launched a neighborhood disaster volunteer program to ensure the collective participation of our citizens in these efforts. We have also prepared emergency aid containers and water tankers for use in case of fires.”

Mayor Aras: “Urbanization is accelerating; we must also address social inequalities for resilient cities.”

Mayor Aras stated, “Urbanization has accelerated significantly, bringing many challenges. According to the UN, 68% of the population will move to cities by 2050. Therefore, we must take necessary precautions and work on building resilient cities. A resilient city does not only mean solving today’s problems but also preparing cities for the future. Currently, 68% of Muğla has been granted mining exploration permits. In addition to natural disasters, we are also fighting against mining operations to protect our environment. While creating resilient cities, addressing social inequalities is of great importance. Our municipalities are working on various projects to reduce these inequalities.”

Mayor Aras: “A City Tax Should Be Introduced”

Noting that the biggest problem related to tourism is the uneven population, Mayor Aras stated, “During the summer season, we host around 7 to 8 million tourists from both domestic and international sources. The burden this places on our water supply, sewage system, natural resources, and traffic is evident. We are continuing our efforts to reduce this load. Everything our own citizens use is also used by tourists, but we do not receive a single penny in return. We have proposed to introduce a city tax.”

Mayor Aras: “We Will Benefit from the Muğla Planning Agency (MUPA) for the Resilient City Goal”

Mayor Aras stated, “Every city has its own dynamics as resilient cities. Our dynamics are agriculture, tourism, coasts, and of course, the historical and natural beauty of the city. Planning is essential, which is why we established Muğla Planning Agency. We are collecting data through the planning agency and processing that data. We translate this information into decision support mechanisms and policies. We will also benefit from MUPA’s work for the resilient city vision.”

Mayor Aras: “We Will Solve the Water Problem in Muğla with Desalination Method”

Emphasizing the importance of financial support, Mayor Aras stated, “We will solve the water problem in Muğla with the desalination method. Initially, we will establish a facility capable of producing 21 cubic meters of water per day. Since it will be a modular facility, we can increase its capacity in the future. At the same time, we are replacing all the burst pipelines. We have procured approximately 270 million Turkish Liras worth of pipes. The pipelines installed in 2011 do not have the capacity to withstand the pressure necessary to meet the current population’s water needs. We are also addressing that issue. Additionally, we are installing recycling mechanisms in all of our treatment plants. With this mechanism, we are using gray water in various areas. Our water is now at a critical level; we must evaluate all possibilities.”