Chapter 7
Environmental Cases in Turkey:
A Project Experience
Emel Türker Alpay
Abstract This article seeks to discuss the project process, challenges and results of
the EU-funded “Turkey’s Map of Environmental Violations” project conducted by
Transparency International Turkey and the Environmental Law Association. It
describes the environment in which this project was run and the challenges faced
during the project, and summarizes some of its results to point out important legal
decisions which will contribute towards resolving the environmental struggle.
Keywords EU-funded project Á Environmental conflicts Á Environmental
violations Á Transparency international turkey Á Environmental law association
7.1 Introduction
In a world with a rapidly growing economy, investments in energy, transportation
and infrastructure have been increasing wildly. These investments have created
environmental and human rights violations, especially in developing countries like
Turkey. Even though these investments are thought to be in the public interest, they
create great conflicts between the State and the public.
Energy investments, as an example of these controversial areas, give a clear
picture of these conflicts, ranging from hydropower conflicts in the Black Sea
region (BirGün, 23 May 2016) and conflicts around coal power plants across
Turkey (Kuzey Ormanları, 2016) to renewable energy investments across Turkey
(Evrensel, 2016). Unfortunately, these conflicts reveal that investment plans ignore
human rights, environmental values and due processes. Even though it is
self-evident that the law should be the main tool for avoiding these conflicts by
Emel Türker Alpay, Ph.D. Student, Socio-Environmental Studies, Ankara University, Ankara,
Turkey. e-mail: emel.trker@gmail.com.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Z. Savaşan and V. Sümer (eds.), Environmental Law and Policies in Turkey,
The Anthropocene: Politik—Economics—Society—Science 31,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36483-0_7
113
Environmental Cases in Turkey:
A Project Experience
Emel Türker Alpay
Abstract This article seeks to discuss the project process, challenges and results of
the EU-funded “Turkey’s Map of Environmental Violations” project conducted by
Transparency International Turkey and the Environmental Law Association. It
describes the environment in which this project was run and the challenges faced
during the project, and summarizes some of its results to point out important legal
decisions which will contribute towards resolving the environmental struggle.
Keywords EU-funded project Á Environmental conflicts Á Environmental
violations Á Transparency international turkey Á Environmental law association
7.1 Introduction
In a world with a rapidly growing economy, investments in energy, transportation
and infrastructure have been increasing wildly. These investments have created
environmental and human rights violations, especially in developing countries like
Turkey. Even though these investments are thought to be in the public interest, they
create great conflicts between the State and the public.
Energy investments, as an example of these controversial areas, give a clear
picture of these conflicts, ranging from hydropower conflicts in the Black Sea
region (BirGün, 23 May 2016) and conflicts around coal power plants across
Turkey (Kuzey Ormanları, 2016) to renewable energy investments across Turkey
(Evrensel, 2016). Unfortunately, these conflicts reveal that investment plans ignore
human rights, environmental values and due processes. Even though it is
self-evident that the law should be the main tool for avoiding these conflicts by
Emel Türker Alpay, Ph.D. Student, Socio-Environmental Studies, Ankara University, Ankara,
Turkey. e-mail: emel.trker@gmail.com.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Z. Savaşan and V. Sümer (eds.), Environmental Law and Policies in Turkey,
The Anthropocene: Politik—Economics—Society—Science 31,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36483-0_7
113