Urban planners combine infrastructure, renewable energy and water conservation.
ISTANBUL
Turkey and Uzbekistan are pursuing different approaches to climate-resilient urban development, combining infrastructure modernization, renewable energy systems and water conservation to prepare cities for increasing environmental pressures. Their initiatives illustrate how urban adaptation depends on local conditions, from rebuilding damaged communities to designing entirely new residential districts.
In Turkey, reconstruction following the devastating February 2023 earthquakes has expanded beyond replacing destroyed housing. Developers and public authorities are also restoring transportation networks, wastewater infrastructure and essential municipal services.
Yasir Yılmaz, general manager of Turkish developer Emlak Konut, said reconstruction efforts have encompassed approximately 450,000 homes alongside improvements to infrastructure and community facilities.
The approach recognizes that resilient housing requires functioning public services. Buildings may withstand environmental hazards more effectively when drainage systems, transport connections and utilities are incorporated into coordinated planning.
Turkey is also developing mechanisms to document renewable electricity production. Energy market operator EPİAŞ manages the voluntary YEK-G certification system, which issues electronic guarantees corresponding to one megawatt-hour of renewable electricity generation.
The system uses blockchain-based records to support traceability. These certificates document renewable generation claims, although they do not establish that particular electrons delivered to consumers originate exclusively from renewable sources.
More than 3,000 kilometers away, Uzbekistan is pursuing a different strategy through New Tashkent, a major development under construction east of the existing capital.
Construction began in 2023, with plans incorporating 2,000 hectares of green space and an additional 500 hectares of parks. Several energy facilities, including an electrical substation and a trigeneration plant, were commissioned in October 2026.
Water efficiency occupies a central position in the project. Planners are selecting drought-resistant vegetation, introducing drip irrigation and proposing systems to collect rainwater and reuse treated wastewater.
These decisions reflect a practical challenge facing cities in dry climates. Vegetation can reduce exposure to extreme heat, but maintaining extensive landscaped areas may increase demand for already limited water resources.
New Tashkent is also incorporating rooftop solar installations and centralized heating and cooling infrastructure. Its trigeneration system is intended to supply thermal services through a coordinated network.
However, much of the development remains unfinished. The performance of these systems under the demands of a fully populated city has not yet been demonstrated.
Existing Tashkent faces different constraints because planners must introduce environmental improvements within established neighborhoods.
Uzbek authorities report planting more than 1.35 million trees and shrubs across the capital between 2022 and 2026. A new green corridor in Bektemir district covers 4.23 hectares and includes 1,415 ornamental trees supported by drip irrigation.
The effectiveness of such measures will depend on long-term maintenance, water availability and their ability to reduce residents’ exposure to heat.
Together, the Turkish and Uzbek initiatives demonstrate two dimensions of urban climate adaptation: strengthening existing infrastructure and incorporating resilience into new developments.
Their success cannot be measured solely by construction targets or the number of trees planted. Reliable services, efficient resource use and measurable environmental improvements will determine whether the projects deliver lasting benefits.
As cities face increasing climate pressures, urban resilience is becoming a question of infrastructure performance rather than architectural ambition alone.
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