The Department of Communication and the Department of Strategy and Budget
are founded as newly formed bodies under the new government model. The
Department of Communication coordinates all matters regarding the Press, and the
publications and communications of and by the State and the President.
4.5.1 Environmental Institutions in Turkey
Many institutions at central and local level in Turkey have environmental functions
and powers. The majority of these institutions have been functioning for a long
time, but some of them are new. Duties and authorities are distributed among
numerous institutions, which is not conducive to the implementation of a national
environmental policy and this has caused a coordination problem in the implementation process.
After the decision taken at the United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment held in Stockholm in 1972 regarding the need for national and
international organizations to safeguard the environment, institutional frameworks
were established in all countries. In Turkey efforts to build an institutional framework also began in the 1970s. The Environmental Problems Coordination Board,
comprising the Ministries of Interior, Health and Social Assistance, Development
and Housing, chaired by the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, was
established by a Decree (12 February 1973, No. 7/5836) in order to ensure coordination among authorized public institutions and local administrations entrusted
with environmental duties. Following a decision by the Council of Ministers, the
Prime Ministry Undersecretariat of Environment was set up in 1978 to determine
the environmental policy and ensure the necessary coordination. Later on, in 1984,
the Undersecretariat of Environment was transformed into the General Directorate
of Environment affiliated to the Prime Ministry. Five years later, in 1989, it was
promoted to the level of Undersecretariat via Decree Law No. 389. In 1991, the
Ministry of Environment was set up through Decree Law No. 443. With the Statute
on the Organization and Duties of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (8
May 2003, No. 4856), Decree Law No. 443 was abolished and the Ministry of
Environment and Forestry was set up. After Turkey’s elections in June 2011, the
government’s public environmental administration was restructured. The Ministry
of Environment and Urbanization (MoEU) was established in 2011 by Decree
No. 644 (OG, 4 July 2011, No. 27984).
The Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs was also established in 2011. After
that important changes have been made through the first Presidential Decree in
Turkey’s state organization in 2018 (OG, 10 July 2018, No. 30734). The duties of
the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization were organized under Article 97 of
this Presidential Decree. In this decree, the duties of the Ministry of Environment
and Urbanization were arranged in the same way and two major General Directorates
were added to the Ministry organization. These are the General Directorate of
National Real Estate and the General Directorate of Local Administrations.
4 Environmental Administration in Turkey
69
are founded as newly formed bodies under the new government model. The
Department of Communication coordinates all matters regarding the Press, and the
publications and communications of and by the State and the President.
4.5.1 Environmental Institutions in Turkey
Many institutions at central and local level in Turkey have environmental functions
and powers. The majority of these institutions have been functioning for a long
time, but some of them are new. Duties and authorities are distributed among
numerous institutions, which is not conducive to the implementation of a national
environmental policy and this has caused a coordination problem in the implementation process.
After the decision taken at the United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment held in Stockholm in 1972 regarding the need for national and
international organizations to safeguard the environment, institutional frameworks
were established in all countries. In Turkey efforts to build an institutional framework also began in the 1970s. The Environmental Problems Coordination Board,
comprising the Ministries of Interior, Health and Social Assistance, Development
and Housing, chaired by the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, was
established by a Decree (12 February 1973, No. 7/5836) in order to ensure coordination among authorized public institutions and local administrations entrusted
with environmental duties. Following a decision by the Council of Ministers, the
Prime Ministry Undersecretariat of Environment was set up in 1978 to determine
the environmental policy and ensure the necessary coordination. Later on, in 1984,
the Undersecretariat of Environment was transformed into the General Directorate
of Environment affiliated to the Prime Ministry. Five years later, in 1989, it was
promoted to the level of Undersecretariat via Decree Law No. 389. In 1991, the
Ministry of Environment was set up through Decree Law No. 443. With the Statute
on the Organization and Duties of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (8
May 2003, No. 4856), Decree Law No. 443 was abolished and the Ministry of
Environment and Forestry was set up. After Turkey’s elections in June 2011, the
government’s public environmental administration was restructured. The Ministry
of Environment and Urbanization (MoEU) was established in 2011 by Decree
No. 644 (OG, 4 July 2011, No. 27984).
The Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs was also established in 2011. After
that important changes have been made through the first Presidential Decree in
Turkey’s state organization in 2018 (OG, 10 July 2018, No. 30734). The duties of
the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization were organized under Article 97 of
this Presidential Decree. In this decree, the duties of the Ministry of Environment
and Urbanization were arranged in the same way and two major General Directorates
were added to the Ministry organization. These are the General Directorate of
National Real Estate and the General Directorate of Local Administrations.
4 Environmental Administration in Turkey
69