Hosted by Erciyes University, the Erciyes Summit-1 was held in Kayseri under the theme “Climate, Water, Food, and Security.” The summit brought together representatives from public institutions, universities, international organizations, civil society organizations, and leading academics to discuss the multidimensional impacts of climate change on water resources, food systems, migration, security, sustainable development, and policymaking.
The summit featured sessions focusing on climate change and geopolitics, food security, climate extremes and water management, as well as sustainable development and climate policies. Throughout the panels, participants emphasized that climate change is not merely an environmental issue but also a strategic challenge with direct implications for water resources, agriculture, food supply, urbanization, migration, vulnerable populations, and international relations.
The Sustainability Coordination Office of Erciyes University played an active role in the academic organization of the summit. On behalf of the Coordination Office, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şükrü Taner Azgın, who was responsible for the academic coordination process, contributed to the development of the session content, the evaluation of panel outcomes, and the integration of the summit within a comprehensive sustainability framework.
Key discussions highlighted the need for integrated policy approaches in areas such as water governance, transboundary waters, food security, agricultural production, waste management, climate finance, early warning systems, data-driven decision-making, and international cooperation. The summit also addressed the emerging risks posed by climate change for vulnerable groups, urbanization processes, and sustainable development policies.
Reflecting Erciyes University’s institutional capacity and academic expertise in sustainability, the summit provided a valuable platform for diverse stakeholders to collaborate through a shared vision. Erciyes Summit-1 aims to serve as a strong bridge between scientific knowledge and evidence-based policymaking on climate, water, food, and security in the lead-up to COP31.
