The Marmara Sea Action Plan Scientific and Technical Committee that was formed to conduct studies on the combat with mucilage within the scope of the Action Plan for the Protection of the Marmara Sea, held its first meeting on 29 June 2021 at TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center (MAM).
Before the meeting, the President of Marmara Municipalities Union and the Metropolitan Kocaeli Mayor Assoc. Prof. Tahir BÜYÜKAKIN and TÜBİTAK President Prof. Hasan MANDAL made a joint press declaration and expressed that they would discuss many topics, especially the effects of mucilage on the Marmara Sea and public health.
Speaking at the press conference, the President of Marmara Municipalities Union and the Metropolitan Kocaeli Mayor Assoc. Prof. Tahir BÜYÜKAKIN said, “In the past days, we shared the Scientific and Technical Committee with our press members. We announced that the Scientific and Technical Committee would gather and start working at this meeting. In fact, the work done so far was the implementation of the decision in the first article of the 22-item Action Plan announced so far. The first article of the Action Plan included a decision for the establishment of a Scientific and Technical Committee within the Marmara Municipalities Union and the representation of the president and members of the union in the Committee. We also have members from the coordination board announced by the Presidential Decree. The works of the Scientific and Technical Committee will be reported also to the Coordination Board since we have members from the Board and the President of TÜBİTAK is also a member of the Board. Today, we hold the first meeting. As the President of the Marmara Municipalities Union, I am here to explain our expectations to the Scientific and Technical Committee. Then they will conduct their studies on their own. The Committee will be chaired by TÜBİTAK President Hasan MANDAL.”
TÜBİTAK President Prof. Hasan MANDAL stated that they will start working with 21 researchers and scientists, they are aware of the importance and urgency of the issue, and they will try to create opinions and solutions with a science-based approach.
Stating that competent scientists from various disciplines will work in the committee, TÜBİTAK President Prof. Hasan MANDAL said, “Considering the importance of the issue in terms of both environmental science and marine and water science and technologies, we work with scientists who can provide support in basic sciences like physics, chemistry and biology.”
The process will be handled with all its dimensions.
Stating that they handle the matter with a scientific approach, Prof. MANDAL said, “While this Committee works, we will get contributions from the competent research specialists in the other Board and also from all people having an idea on this matter. Our problem is mucilage that we all know as sea snot, however, we will try to have a wider perspective. I think that this problem can be solved starting from today, and that we can achieve this solution with the efforts of researchers and scientists from different disciplines. We will try to handle the problem with all its dimensions.”
Stating that the current situation, needs analyses and solution proposals on the subject will be reported quickly, TÜBİTAK President Prof. Hasan MANDAL said, "We will also present a realistic roadmap. We expect this to raise awareness about climate change in our society at every age group. We will also confirm that, when the solution to a problem is based on science, this solution will not be temporary but permanent.”
The study is expected to contribute to other seas and climate change policies in Turkey
Stating that they aim to contribute to the other seas and climate change policies of Turkey, TÜBİTAK President Prof. Hasan MANDAL said, “We will not only deal with mucilage, we will also ensure that our work contributes to other seas in our country and to our country's climate change policies. The Coordination Board gathers once a month. We will be reporting our work here to the Board.”
