content tagged with environment

Tuğçe Yılmaz

“They are trying to criminalize the struggle to protect nature”

DURSUN ALİ KOYUNCU:

“They are trying to criminalize the struggle to protect nature”

The arrest of Dursun Ali Koyuncu, a leading figure in the ecological struggle in Artvin in northeastern Turkey, is yet another example of repression targeting environmental defenders in Turkey. The area licensed to mining has reached 70% of the province, while citizens continue to protect nature in the face of all manners of repression.

24 December 2024 Tuğçe Yılmaz

Cevat Baran Çaydaş

Widescale gold exploration license raises concerns in Zonguldak

Widescale gold exploration license raises concerns in Zonguldak

Villagers have launched a legal challenge, citing concerns about the harmful effects of substances like cyanide on their hazelnut crops and water sources.

24 December 2024 Cevat Baran Çaydaş

Environmental impact grows as mining, oil drilling expand in Şırnak mountains

Environmental impact grows as mining, oil drilling expand in Şırnak mountains

Areas around the Cudi and Gabar mountains have been frequently designated special security zones due to the conflict.

13 November 2024

Minister: Turkey achieves record-breaking 6.2% decrease in energy intensity

Minister: Turkey achieves record-breaking 6.2% decrease in energy intensity

Bayraktar emphasized the role of energy efficiency practices as both a supporter on the supply side and a complement on the demand side for achieving net-zero transformation.

Parts of Turkey's Lake Salda turn into a swamp

Parts of Turkey's Lake Salda turn into a swamp

An environmental group shared the latest image from Lake Salda, which is planned to be included in the UNESCO Natural World Heritage list. In the video, it is seen that the waters receded and the lake turned into a swamp.

Turkey's Tourism Ministry allows minister to expand his hotel project into forest in Bodrum

Turkey's Tourism Ministry allows minister to expand his hotel project into forest in Bodrum

The ministry has agreed to allocate 25-acre of land for a new holiday camp project in Bodrum's Türkbükü.

Turkey: April temperature 2 degrees warmer than average

Turkey: April temperature 2 degrees warmer than average

The average temperature was measured as 14,3 in the previous month. This figure is above the average measured for April for the last 50 years in Turkey.

Life sentence for Gezi protests, a new hope for İstanbul Convention

WEEKLY ROUNDUP

Life sentence for Gezi protests, a new hope for İstanbul Convention

Gezi verdict draws international criticism while Erdoğan is confident that "it is over now" • Council of State prosecutor says Turkey's withdrawal from İstanbul Convention was "unlawful" • The president visits Saudi Arabia after handing over the Khashoggi case

30 April 2022 Volga Kuşçuoğlu

Mucilage-like pollution reemerges off the coasts of İstanbul

Mucilage-like pollution reemerges off the coasts of İstanbul

Having faced a mucilage, or sea snot, problem last summer, İstanbul has witnessed pollution similar to mucilage on Fenerbahçe Coast in Kadıköy.

Heavy metals flowing into stream after collapse in mine waste storage facility in Balıkesir

Heavy metals flowing into stream after collapse in mine waste storage facility in Balıkesir

Environmental groups call for the closure of the mine after the second collapse in a year.

14 December 2021

Armed attack on villagers resisting mines in Aydın

Armed attack on villagers resisting mines in Aydın

A couple who were previously threatened have been targeted in an armed attack, yet the gendarmerie haven't carried out a scene investigation, environmental groups say.

13 December 2021

Paris Agreement takes effect in Turkey: 'Fossil fuels should be abandoned urgently'

Paris Agreement takes effect in Turkey: 'Fossil fuels should be abandoned urgently'

Health problems caused by air pollution from coal-fired power plants cost Turkey 2.86 billion Euro per year, NGOs warn.

10 November 2021

Turkey's main opposition leader urges foreign countries not to invest in Canal İstanbul

Turkey's main opposition leader urges foreign countries not to invest in Canal İstanbul

Kılıçdaroğlu has sent letters to all diplomatic missions in Turkey in their own languages, warning them against the ecological destruction to be caused by the project.

8 November 2021

Marine mucilage expected to come back to Marmara, warns professor

Marine mucilage expected to come back to Marmara, warns professor

The three triggering causes of the formation of "sea snot" in the Sea of Marmara are still there, Prof. Mustafa Sarı has said.

4 October 2021 Tansu Pişkin

'Tourism city' to be built on 380-hectare wetland declared Important Bird Area

'Tourism city' to be built on 380-hectare wetland declared Important Bird Area

The project in Muğla province comprises thousands of residential units, shopping malls and golf courses.

10 September 2021

Tender for building hotels in forestlands in 7 provinces

MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM

Tender for building hotels in forestlands in 7 provinces

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced a tender for construction of 4-5 star hotels and thermal facilities in some forestlands in the provinces of Artvin, Bursa, Kars, Kütahya, Mersin, Ordu and Uşak.

‘Government has stepped up anti-environmental projects during the pandemic’

TURKISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

‘Government has stepped up anti-environmental projects during the pandemic’

Dr. Ahmet Soysal spoke at the TTB’s event titled “Ecological Destruction in Turkey During the COVID-19 Pandemic”. He raised concerns that the government saw the pandemic as an opportunity to step up its environmentally controversial projects.

Sewage water, tourism damaging Lake Salda environment, locals warn

Sewage water, tourism damaging Lake Salda environment, locals warn

A local environmental association has urged the government to cancel a touristic facility project near the lake, pointing out the damage caused to its distinct ecosystem by people getting into the water.

Opposition supports people of İkizdere amid government’s silence

RESISTANCE AGAINST STONE QUARRY

Opposition supports people of İkizdere amid government’s silence

Resisting the stone quarry attempted to be opened in their valley for 44 days now, the people of İkizdere from the Black Sea region of Turkey met with representatives of political parties in Ankara, asking for support for their struggle.

Marmara's sea snot problem continues as engineers call for advanced treatment of wastewater

Marmara's sea snot problem continues as engineers call for advanced treatment of wastewater

The İstanbul Branch of the Chamber of Environmental Engineers has released a report on sea snot observed in the Sea of Marmara.

Erdoğan mentions ‘Nation’s Gardens’ at Leaders’ Summit on Climate

Erdoğan mentions ‘Nation’s Gardens’ at Leaders’ Summit on Climate

Speaking at the Leaders’ Summit on Climate on World Earth Day, President Erdoğan said that the “Nation’s Gardens” project increased green spaces and sink capacities, adding that “they planted a total of 5.1 billion saplings for the last 18 years.”

How has Cengiz Holding destroyed Turkey's forests?

How has Cengiz Holding destroyed Turkey's forests?

The holding undertook a large number of construction and infrastructure projects in the AKP era.

24 December 2020 Tansu Pişkin

Reports: 144,000 trees to be cut down for quarry expansion in UNESCO-listed forest in Thrace

Reports: 144,000 trees to be cut down for quarry expansion in UNESCO-listed forest in Thrace

The company operating a quarry in Strandzha Forests in Turkey's north west has reportedly applied to the ministry for expansion as the allegations have been brought to the parliament.

14 December 2020

Erdoğan: We work without caring about fake environmentalists

Erdoğan: We work without caring about fake environmentalists

“Those who set the streets on fire and plundered the goods of storekeepers during Gezi incidents now rush to discredit our sapling planting,” says President Erdoğan.

11 November 2020

59 lakes in Turkey are in danger of drying up

CHP MP BİÇER KARACA

59 lakes in Turkey are in danger of drying up

According to a report prepared by main opposition CHP MP Biçer Karaca, seven of these 59 lakes “have almost come to a point of no return” while eight lakes are in danger of drying up due to the planned projects or wrong water policies.

Attack on Life Defenders on Uskumruköy Intersection Where Trees Chopped Down

Attack on Life Defenders on Uskumruköy Intersection Where Trees Chopped Down

Workers have attacked the Northern Forests Defense activists who wanted to record tree chopping carried out during the road widening works at Uskumruköy Intersection.

10 November 2017

"Will Our Animals Hitchhike?

RESISTANCE AGAINST “GREEN ROAD PROJECT”

"Will Our Animals Hitchhike?

People in Fırtına Valley of Black Sea Region gathered and responded to Green Road Project.

3 July 2015 Nilay Vardar

Water Resources Diminish, Air’s Polluted, Creatures Become Extinct

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

Water Resources Diminish, Air’s Polluted, Creatures Become Extinct

WWF pointed out that growing cities, climate change, increasing consumption, transportation and industrial activities not only affect humans but also species.

Turkey's Greens Rally Against Environment Bill Draft

Turkey's Greens Rally Against Environment Bill Draft

Turkey's Greens and the Left Party of the Future members rallied across 6 major cities yesterday against a government bill draft on nature and biological diversity protection, saying that it aimed to exploit the environment.

25 February 2013

Cabinet Introduces War Time Laws for Dam Construction

Cabinet Introduces War Time Laws for Dam Construction

Cabinet authorized two government agencies and certain municipalities to enact the “express nationalization” of estates to make way for the construction of hydroelectic dams. Critics have underlined the fact that such a measure is normally reserved for times of war.

4 August 2012 Ekin Karaca

1 Million People Said "No!" in İzmir

1 Million People Said "No!" in İzmir

People opposing Aliaga thermal power plants gathered together and said “Extinguish the fire of Thermal, light the fire of Hıdırellez”

"Commercial Dam Projects Harm Environment and Society"

WORLD WATER DAY

"Commercial Dam Projects Harm Environment and Society"

More than 20 organizations urged the government once more in a joint statement to change water policies and stop the construction of hydroelectric power plants and dams. "We are experiencing a destruction beyond repair", the organizations warned.

17 March 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

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