4.6 Conclusion
As is stated above, institutionalization efforts that started in 1978 have been going on
for approximately forty years. Within this process, the environmental public administration of the budget, staff and authorities were left weak. It failed to show the
expected performance in any period and could not function effectively. Since the
initial period when the environmental organization was established as an
Undersecretariat, its conflict of authority with other public entities and institutions has
not ended, and it has had to function in coordination with institutions which have
invariably completed their institutionalization prior to the environmental organization.
Developed countries have had difficulty in finding an environmental administration model as well. The reason for this is that the concept of environment has a
very large and ambiguous scope. It has been quite difficult to set up a single
decision mechanism in such an extensive and expansionist field.
When we consider the overview of environmental administration in Turkey, we
see that the managerial problems are not only limited to conflicts and overlapping
authorities, duties and responsibilities. Uncertainty and instability in environmental
organization prevent the development of an effective environmental administration
system. The foundations of Turkey’s environmental administration system were laid
with the Third Five-Year Development Plan (1973–1977); the principal characteristics of the system were identified in the 1982 Constitution, Environmental Law
No. 2872 and on the establishment of the Ministry of Environment in 1991. The
establishment of the Ministry, however, did not suffice to solve problems, and
inadequacies in the organization led to criticism and to a new search for solutions. To
this end, the Ministry of Environment was merged with the Ministry of Forestry,
which had already been affiliated twice with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Affairs, and the Statute on the Organization and Duties of the Ministry of
Environment and Forestry (No. 4856) was enacted. The duties of the Ministry of
Environment and Urbanization were then organized under Article 97 of the
Presidential Decree in 2018.
In general, the main institution for the implementation of environmental measures for the environment is the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. There
are other Ministries and agencies which also have responsibilities under the existing
institutional framework. For example, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has
important responsibilities for protected areas. Moreover, the Ministry of Agriculture
and Forestry has responsibility for the national inventory of biological diversity.
This Ministry is also responsible for water affairs, including coastal waters.
Institutional overlaps exist between the MoEU and the MoAF with regard to the
protection of marine species and habitats and to marine protected areas. More
specifically, the Branch Office for Species and Habitats under the Nature Protection
General Directorate of the MoEU has overall responsibility for the protection of
species and habitats. This overlaps with the responsibilities of the Department of
Biodiversity and the Department of Sensitive Areas under the General Directorate
for National Parks under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
80
S. S. Gökalp Alıca
As is stated above, institutionalization efforts that started in 1978 have been going on
for approximately forty years. Within this process, the environmental public administration of the budget, staff and authorities were left weak. It failed to show the
expected performance in any period and could not function effectively. Since the
initial period when the environmental organization was established as an
Undersecretariat, its conflict of authority with other public entities and institutions has
not ended, and it has had to function in coordination with institutions which have
invariably completed their institutionalization prior to the environmental organization.
Developed countries have had difficulty in finding an environmental administration model as well. The reason for this is that the concept of environment has a
very large and ambiguous scope. It has been quite difficult to set up a single
decision mechanism in such an extensive and expansionist field.
When we consider the overview of environmental administration in Turkey, we
see that the managerial problems are not only limited to conflicts and overlapping
authorities, duties and responsibilities. Uncertainty and instability in environmental
organization prevent the development of an effective environmental administration
system. The foundations of Turkey’s environmental administration system were laid
with the Third Five-Year Development Plan (1973–1977); the principal characteristics of the system were identified in the 1982 Constitution, Environmental Law
No. 2872 and on the establishment of the Ministry of Environment in 1991. The
establishment of the Ministry, however, did not suffice to solve problems, and
inadequacies in the organization led to criticism and to a new search for solutions. To
this end, the Ministry of Environment was merged with the Ministry of Forestry,
which had already been affiliated twice with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Affairs, and the Statute on the Organization and Duties of the Ministry of
Environment and Forestry (No. 4856) was enacted. The duties of the Ministry of
Environment and Urbanization were then organized under Article 97 of the
Presidential Decree in 2018.
In general, the main institution for the implementation of environmental measures for the environment is the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. There
are other Ministries and agencies which also have responsibilities under the existing
institutional framework. For example, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has
important responsibilities for protected areas. Moreover, the Ministry of Agriculture
and Forestry has responsibility for the national inventory of biological diversity.
This Ministry is also responsible for water affairs, including coastal waters.
Institutional overlaps exist between the MoEU and the MoAF with regard to the
protection of marine species and habitats and to marine protected areas. More
specifically, the Branch Office for Species and Habitats under the Nature Protection
General Directorate of the MoEU has overall responsibility for the protection of
species and habitats. This overlaps with the responsibilities of the Department of
Biodiversity and the Department of Sensitive Areas under the General Directorate
for National Parks under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
80
S. S. Gökalp Alıca