Türkiye’s total environmental protection expenditure reached 441 billion Turkish lira in 2024, marking a sharp increase of 108.3 percent compared to the previous year, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) said in a statement on Thursday.

According to TurkStat, the majority of environmental protection spending was carried out by the private sector. Financial and non-financial corporations accounted for 60.9 percent of total expenditure, while 31.2 percent was realized by the general government and non-profit institutions serving households. Households made up the remaining 7.9 percent of spending.

Waste management services represented the largest share of environmental protection expenditure, accounting for 58.8 percent of the total. Wastewater management followed with 16.5 percent, while spending on the protection of biodiversity and landscapes stood at 9.4 percent. Expenditure on the protection and remediation of soil, groundwater, and surface water accounted for 7.4 percent, while protection of ambient air and climate made up 1.7 percent. Other environmental protection activities accounted for the remaining 6 percent.

Environmental protection investment expenditure also recorded a significant rise, reaching 82 billion TL in 2024—an increase of 114.2 percent compared to the previous year. Of this amount, 80 percent was carried out by financial and non-financial corporations, while 20 percent was realized by the general government and non-profit institutions serving households.

The data also showed a notable rise in the share of environmental protection expenditure within the economy. While environmental protection spending accounted for 0.78 percent of Türkiye’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, this share increased to 0.99 percent in 2024.

The sharp rise in spending reflects growing investment in environmental protection efforts across Türkiye, particularly in waste and wastewater management, as authorities and businesses respond to environmental challenges and sustainability goals. (ILKHA)