6 BYZANTINE ENERGY POLITICS: THE COMPLEX TALE …
163
to police force ordered by the government to protect the private companies’ interests, on the night of August 22, 2011, nine village women
lay down in front of the drilling machines and successfully prevented
the project from going forward. In November 2011, 10,000 people
from various provinces and districts of Turkey gathered in the town of
Gerze to protest the construction of the plant. Additionally, Greenpeace
Mediterranean launched an internet signature campaign in 2011 against
the power plant, which gathered over 37,000 supporters. 35 They also
successfully targeted the Anadolu Group, the company proposing the
power plant which also happened to be the owner of a popular beer
brand, EFES. The project was eventually canceled in May 2012 by the
Ministry of Environment and Urbanization.
In addition to such grassroots, semi-formal local resistance movements
emerging against state-sanctioned, environmentally destructive energy
projects around the country, there has also been an increase in the number
of formal environmental organizations and climate networks, mostly in
urban areas working to educate the public, raise awareness about climate
change, lobby the government to participate in international agreements
and take action to reduce the country’s GHG emissions by investing
more on clean energy technologies. In the 2000s, when compared to
the previous decades, these civil society organizations enjoyed more
opportunities to become involved in the decision-making processes by
serving as commission members, preparing and presenting reports when
asked by ministries and state agencies, and participating in formulating
legislation. Improved funding opportunities for environmental issues—
especially thanks to the increased networking capabilities linked to EU
membership process—have also improved the capacity of civil society
organizations to have some impact on policy. For instance, Greenpeace
Turkey, among others, was very active during the formulation of the
2005 Renewable Energy Law by meeting with government officials, organizing demonstrations, and publicizing green energy in media outlets
to put pressure on decisionmakers. According to Ozgur Gurbuz, who
was the Greenpeace Energy Campaign Director at the time, two weeks
after their intense campaigning, the parliament passed the 2005 Renewables Law and the Energy Minister during his speech in the parliament
acknowledged specifically the role of NGOs in the preparation of this
legislation. 36
Besides environmental NGOs, part of the domestic pressure for renewables has arguably also come from the new renewable energy producers
163
to police force ordered by the government to protect the private companies’ interests, on the night of August 22, 2011, nine village women
lay down in front of the drilling machines and successfully prevented
the project from going forward. In November 2011, 10,000 people
from various provinces and districts of Turkey gathered in the town of
Gerze to protest the construction of the plant. Additionally, Greenpeace
Mediterranean launched an internet signature campaign in 2011 against
the power plant, which gathered over 37,000 supporters. 35 They also
successfully targeted the Anadolu Group, the company proposing the
power plant which also happened to be the owner of a popular beer
brand, EFES. The project was eventually canceled in May 2012 by the
Ministry of Environment and Urbanization.
In addition to such grassroots, semi-formal local resistance movements
emerging against state-sanctioned, environmentally destructive energy
projects around the country, there has also been an increase in the number
of formal environmental organizations and climate networks, mostly in
urban areas working to educate the public, raise awareness about climate
change, lobby the government to participate in international agreements
and take action to reduce the country’s GHG emissions by investing
more on clean energy technologies. In the 2000s, when compared to
the previous decades, these civil society organizations enjoyed more
opportunities to become involved in the decision-making processes by
serving as commission members, preparing and presenting reports when
asked by ministries and state agencies, and participating in formulating
legislation. Improved funding opportunities for environmental issues—
especially thanks to the increased networking capabilities linked to EU
membership process—have also improved the capacity of civil society
organizations to have some impact on policy. For instance, Greenpeace
Turkey, among others, was very active during the formulation of the
2005 Renewable Energy Law by meeting with government officials, organizing demonstrations, and publicizing green energy in media outlets
to put pressure on decisionmakers. According to Ozgur Gurbuz, who
was the Greenpeace Energy Campaign Director at the time, two weeks
after their intense campaigning, the parliament passed the 2005 Renewables Law and the Energy Minister during his speech in the parliament
acknowledged specifically the role of NGOs in the preparation of this
legislation. 36
Besides environmental NGOs, part of the domestic pressure for renewables has arguably also come from the new renewable energy producers