Determining the effects of boats operating in the tourism sector in Köyceğiz Dalyan channels on ghg emissions and climate change, creating infrastructure for zero emission transportation

Köyceğiz Lake and Dalyan Canals located within the borders of Köyceğiz-Dalyan Special Environmental Protection Area; It is one of the seven rare lakes in the world that meet the sea naturally, with channels and lagoons with rich biological diversity and sensitive ecosystems. The area in question was registered by the British The Times Magazine in 2008 as the Best Preserved Sanctuary in Europe, together with the Iztuzu Beach, the Rock Tombs and the Ancient City of Kaunos. The region welcomes 1 million tourists a year. The majority of the visitors of the region who want to see these unique beauties use the excursion boats, which sail on the canals and are an important source of income for the local people. It has become mandatory to carry out these boat trips, which have also become a source of livelihood for the local people, without harming the sensitive ecological balance and natural beauty of the region. In 1988, Köyceğiz-Dalyan was declared a "Special Environmental Protection Area" by the Special Environmental Protection Agency. Today, everything from environmental plan plans to implementation plans in the region, which is on the list of Special Environmental Protection Areas of the General Directorate of Natural Heritage Protection of the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, is made and approved by this institution. There are approximately 500 commercial and 400 boats in the region. It has been determined in many studies to date that the source of the most important environmental problem of the region is commercial boats. While the engines of 70 percent of the boats are quite old and make excessive noise, "The destruction of the waves caused by excessive speed in the Dalyan canals causes the reeds on the edges to break away from the roots, while the bilge pollution created by the boats adversely affects the lives of the creatures in the canals and the endangered Nile turtles. Exhaust It has been determined by the authorities that the air pollution caused by the fumes of the rock tombs is one of the biggest factors causing the melting of the rock tombs.In order to eliminate this negativity and reduce its effects, the boat tours, which are an economic, touristic and indispensable activity, are in harmony with a sustainable tourism perspective. The implementation of Zero Emissions Transportation (within the scope of the Zero Waste Project carried out by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization) has become mandatory. It will be the beginning of a new step in transferring one of the 14 Special Environment areas that Dalyan and our country are sensitive to protect to future generations with its natural and ecological existence. Köyceğiz Lake and Dalyan canals have an important place in the tourism of Muğla and our country. In order to benefit from this potential in the balance of protection and use, it has become necessary to determine the carbon and greenhouse gas emissions of the boats and their effects on climate change. The aim of this thesis is to calculate the carbon footprint of the boats operating in the tourism sector in the Köyceğiz Dalyan Canals, one of our leading regions in marine tourism, and to determine their effects on climate change. In the calculation, analyzes were made using the approaches recommended in IPCC 2006 and appropriate software. For this, the number of boats and the machinery power of the boats will be determined, the routes and the total number of voyages of these boats were determined by the boat cooperatives, the total amount of fuel spent and the amount of greenhouse gas emitted at the end of the voyages were calculated, and as a result, the carbon footprint of the boats was calculated. In addition, assessments will be made on the size of the carbon footprint and its effects on climate change, and suggestions are presented to reduce carbon emissions. In the study, only boats working in the tourism sector, for commercial purposes and using certified diesel fuel were considered, fishing boats, boats used for special purposes and gasoline boats were excluded. It is thought that this study will benefit institutions that determine environmental policies and businesses that aim to reduce operating costs. In addition, it is aimed to shed light on more comprehensive studies to be done after the study itself. There are not enough studies in the literature and practice on this subject, which has just begun to be studied in our country. Therefore, with this thesis, it is aimed to open this door.