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February 5, 2026 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations At a seminar organized at Gebze Technical University (GTU) within the scope of World Wetlands Day on February 2, the critical role of wetlands in combating the climate crisis and nature-based solution strategies are evaluated from an academic perspective.
As part of its efforts to raise awareness on the protection of natural resources and ecosystem restoration, Gebze Technical University hosted the World Wetlands Day Seminar. The event, organized by the GTU Sustainability Office on February 4, 2026 at the GTU Congress and Cultural Center with the option of online participation, presented scientific solution proposals to address global environmental challenges.
A Global Heritage: The Ramsar Convention The seminar opened with a speech by Assoc. Prof. Emel Topuz, Coordinator of the GTU Sustainability Office, who emphasized the importance of the Ramsar Convention, an international milestone for wetland conservation signed in 1971. Within the framework of the United Nations’ UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), it was noted that 14 of Türkiye’s 138 wetlands are under Ramsar protection, covering a total area of approximately 184,000 hectares.
Wetlands and Biodiversity: The Silent Power of Ecosystems In a presentation delivered by Asst. Prof. Derya Ayral-Çınar, a faculty member of GTU’s Department of Environmental Engineering, the ecological functions of both natural wetlands such as marshes, rivers, and lagoons, and artificial wetlands including wastewater treatment ponds and dams were explained in detail. It was highlighted that wetlands host 40 percent of global species and store 30 percent of terrestrial carbon, giving them a carbon sequestration capacity twice that of forests. The presentation also underlined the wide range of ecosystem services provided by wetlands, from nutrient cycling to climate regulation.
NBS4AQUAMISSION: A Nature-Based Approach to Water Pollution The seminar also shared details of the NBS4AQUAMISSION project, which aims to reduce pharmaceutical pollution in urban and rural water environments and thereby protect biodiversity. It was stated that the mission carried out by the GTU team consisting of Asst. Prof. Derya Ayral-Çınar, Assoc. Prof. Emel Topuz, Prof. Ebubekir Yüksel, and Prof. Mehmet Salim Öncel aims to develop nature-based systems, particularly constructed wetlands, to protect biodiversity in aquatic environments. |
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