Akıllı Şehir Dönüşümlerinde Mavi Ayak İzi Bileşenlerinden Katı Atıklar İçin Bir Değerlendirme: Kocaeli İli Örneği

The acceleration of urbanization and industrial development brings about environmental degradation in modern cities. Despite various efforts to address and prevent these environmental problems in urban areas, cities are increasingly losing harmony with natural ecosystems. In this context, ecological footprint analyses are of critical importance for ensuring urban sustainability and transferring natural resources to future generations. Recently, "Smart City" applications have come to the forefront to optimize the environmental sustainability of cities. For this transformation to be successfully achieved, integrated information systems related to key urban functions such as water management, waste systems, infrastructure services, health, security, environmental protection, energy efficiency, and transportation need to be developed. These information systems serve as a fundamental building block for cities to realize their smart city transformation. In smart cities, assessments of the blue footprint and yellow footprint are essential. This study focuses on blue footprint evaluations, one of the important indicators of smart city transformation. In this context, waste footprint evaluations, a component of the blue footprint for the city of Kocaeli, have been examined for the year 2023. The study aims to contribute to identifying Kocaeli's blue footprint profile and serve as a reference in developing urban waste management strategies.