of national law and EU law contained in the acquis communautaire. The approximation process of the environmental sector covers not only transposition of all
related legislation and enforcement but also the reorganization of the institutional
structure.
Turkey began taking an interest in environmental concerns during the 1970s. In
1978, the Prime Ministry Undersecretariat of the Environment was established. It
was responsible for the coordination of all national and international activities
concerning the environment. The Undersecretariat was the institution expected to
set environmental policies, to coordinate and prepare regulations, and to cooperate
with other ministries. The Undersecretariat of the Environment was replaced by the
Ministry of Environment in 1991. This new structure caused diversification in the
Ministry’s responsibilities and an expansion of its staff, and endowed the administration with the authority to implement and enforce policies for the protection and
conservation of the environment. The institutional structure continued to change
and in 2003 the Ministry of Environment and Forestry was founded. This institution
harmonised many European Union directives on the environment and was divided
into two different ministries in 2011: the Ministry of Environment and
Urbanization, and the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs.
The conflict of authority over environmental matters has been ongoing between
the two ministries. This institutional restructuring was still on the agenda at the time
of the mid-term evaluation, and thus there is still a fundamental authorised institution. The establishment of all these organizations was made by Decree-Law. In
accordance with the new constitutional changes, the Decree-Law will not be
enacted as of 2018. Turkey has a new government model and presidential system.
This new Presidential Government System has also affected environmental
administration.
4.2 Turkish Environmental Legislation
4.2.1 Legal Framework
The reasons for the occurrence of environmental problems, their importance,
characteristics, and recommendations to settle them are covered by many scientific
areas and disciplines. The law has played an important role in the quest to settle
problems related to the environment, which have been among the prominent issues
on the World’s agenda for the last forty years. Investigating these problems makes it
possible to understand the reasons for, objectives, key targets and principles of
environmental law. Environmental law covers such issues as protecting and
developing the environment, compensating for environmental pollution and damage, and creating resources for all these, together with proposing sanctions.
The 1972 Stockholm Declaration, which is the most important international
document providing the necessary basis for legal arrangements on the protection of
56
S. S. Gökalp Alıca
related legislation and enforcement but also the reorganization of the institutional
structure.
Turkey began taking an interest in environmental concerns during the 1970s. In
1978, the Prime Ministry Undersecretariat of the Environment was established. It
was responsible for the coordination of all national and international activities
concerning the environment. The Undersecretariat was the institution expected to
set environmental policies, to coordinate and prepare regulations, and to cooperate
with other ministries. The Undersecretariat of the Environment was replaced by the
Ministry of Environment in 1991. This new structure caused diversification in the
Ministry’s responsibilities and an expansion of its staff, and endowed the administration with the authority to implement and enforce policies for the protection and
conservation of the environment. The institutional structure continued to change
and in 2003 the Ministry of Environment and Forestry was founded. This institution
harmonised many European Union directives on the environment and was divided
into two different ministries in 2011: the Ministry of Environment and
Urbanization, and the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs.
The conflict of authority over environmental matters has been ongoing between
the two ministries. This institutional restructuring was still on the agenda at the time
of the mid-term evaluation, and thus there is still a fundamental authorised institution. The establishment of all these organizations was made by Decree-Law. In
accordance with the new constitutional changes, the Decree-Law will not be
enacted as of 2018. Turkey has a new government model and presidential system.
This new Presidential Government System has also affected environmental
administration.
4.2 Turkish Environmental Legislation
4.2.1 Legal Framework
The reasons for the occurrence of environmental problems, their importance,
characteristics, and recommendations to settle them are covered by many scientific
areas and disciplines. The law has played an important role in the quest to settle
problems related to the environment, which have been among the prominent issues
on the World’s agenda for the last forty years. Investigating these problems makes it
possible to understand the reasons for, objectives, key targets and principles of
environmental law. Environmental law covers such issues as protecting and
developing the environment, compensating for environmental pollution and damage, and creating resources for all these, together with proposing sanctions.
The 1972 Stockholm Declaration, which is the most important international
document providing the necessary basis for legal arrangements on the protection of
56
S. S. Gökalp Alıca