The 2023 sustainability report, which includes the Eurasia Tunnel's environmental, social and governance sustainability goals and the steps taken in this direction, also pledges that the tunnel will continue its work to leave a livable world for future generations.
The first sustainability report of the Eurasia Tunnel, which has been one of the most important projects that has eased Istanbul traffic since it was put into service in 2016, has been published. The report, which includes steps taken in critical sustainability issues such as energy efficiency, carbon footprint, water management, waste management, social contribution and employee rights, covers the period of 2023 and, as it is the first report, includes all the work carried out since its opening. The report, prepared under the leadership of the Sustainability Committee established within the Eurasia Tunnel Operation Construction and Investment Inc. (ATAŞ), was created with the contributions of all relevant departments and comprehensively addresses the operational performance of the tunnel in environmental, social and governance dimensions. The report, which was prepared in accordance with GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) standards and aims to provide transparent and comprehensive information to all stakeholders, evaluates the developments in the tunnel's sustainability performance and future targets by making comparisons with data from previous years.
Sustainability steps and achievements
With the start of service, the Eurasia Tunnel has not only eased Istanbul’s transportation burden between the two continents, but has also taken serious steps to minimize its environmental impact. The main issues included in the report are as follows:
- Saving time and fuel: In the 7-year period since the opening of the tunnel, 172 million hours of time and 218 thousand tons of fuel were saved. This saving has made a significant contribution to reducing air pollution in the city as well as easing the traffic burden in Istanbul.
- Reducing carbon emissions: Important steps have been taken to reduce the carbon footprint by using innovative technologies in line with environmental sustainability goals. In this context, a total of 91 thousand tons of carbon emissions have been reduced to date.
- Economic contributions: The contribution of the Eurasia Tunnel to the Turkish economy was not limited to environmental benefits. The tunnel contributed 2016 billion dollars to the country's economy with the steps it took for sustainability from the year it started operating in 2023 until the end of 1,5, and it also created strong economic support for a sustainable future. In addition, the Economic Impact and Return on Expenditure Analysis conducted by Deloitte predicts that the tunnel will provide a total public saving of 8,6 billion dollars during the contract period, indicating a saving approximately 1,245 times the investment cost of the tunnel, which is 7 billion dollars.
- Blue Dot Network: The Eurasia Tunnel became the first project in the field of transportation to successfully complete the pilot application process within the scope of the “Blue Dot Network” (BDN) certification developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to support sustainable and high-quality infrastructure projects.
Goals for a sustainable future
Yapı Merkezi and Avrasya Tunnel Board Chairman Başar Arıoğlu, in his message included in the report, emphasized that rapidly changing dynamics around the world make the concept of sustainability more important every day. Arıoğlu stated that the tunnel is not only a transit point connecting two continents, but also a representative of a strategic vision that sheds light on the future of Istanbul.
Expressing that every issue was addressed with a sustainability approach during the operation period as well as during the design and construction process, Arıoğlu said, “The achievements demonstrate the Eurasia Tunnel’s determination regarding sustainability. We are very pleased to see the difference that this major investment in the future of Istanbul has made in terms of both economic and environmental sustainability. We continue on our path with concrete goals such as increasing our energy efficiency, reducing our carbon footprint and deepening our contributions to Istanbul with social projects. While increasing our environmentally friendly practices on the one hand, continuing our efforts towards digitalization required by our age on the other hand are among our most important goals. I would like to thank all our employees, business partners and stakeholders who contributed to this process.”
