Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey Ali Babacan joined the U.N. Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability (GSP). Photo by International Monetary Fund.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan was chosen as a member of a new United Nations panel on global sustainability by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The 21-member High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability (GSP) will stage discussions to tackle poverty on the global scale, cope with climate change and "formulate a new blueprint for sustainable growth and low-carbon prosperity."

According to a statement issued by Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Babacan's selection to the U.N. panel will facilitate a high level representation for Turkey both in the U.N. and at the G-20, especially in matters regarding climate change, sustainable growth, energy security, and fight against poverty.”

The panel will be led by two co-chairs, Finnish President Tarja Halonen and South African President Jacob Zuma. Members include high-ranking government officials, representatives from the private sector and civil society from both developed and developing countries. The panel’s membership is geographically balanced and diverse.

The panel will have to deliver its final report by the end of next year ahead of 2012 U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the annual meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

“This is an indication of sustainability becoming more important in Turkey and moving into mainstream of Turkish governance,” SUM-Türkiye Director Sibel Bulay said.