Environmental Policies in Turkey: A Review of Development Plans Cover Image

Türkiye’de Çevre Politikaları: Kalkınma Planları Üzerinden Bir İnceleme
Environmental Policies in Turkey: A Review of Development Plans

Author(s): Hicran Hamza Çelikyay
Subject(s): Energy and Environmental Studies, Environmental and Energy policy, Human Ecology, Environmental interactions
Published by: Haci Mustafa Paksoy
Keywords: Turkey; environmental problems; environmental policies; policy documents; development plans;

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this study is to evaluate the environmental policies included in development plans in terms of environmental main strategies, diagnosis of problems, intervention methods and implementation of decisions. Development plans are divided into three main groups, considering the period in which they were prepared and their distinct features. The first group includes the first five development plans, the second group includes six, seven and eighth development plans, and the last group includes nine, ten and eleventh development plans. Environmental policies have been evaluated in the context of implementation stages of "identifying problems" and "examining intervention methods". As a result, it was observed that environmental policies reflect the conditions and characteristics of the periods in which the plans were published, and that there were significant paradigm changes in the identification of environmental problems and solution approaches. Turkey, being aware of environmental problems, has developed policies in line with changing world dynamics, international law and national development goals, and has not hesitate to change policy approaches when necessary. However, in some plans published in successive periods, it was seen that some environmental problems were included in the same way and solution proposals were repeated. In order to identify the current situation, incomplete and limited aspects, as well as areas that have been successfully implemented, it is recommended to follow the implementation of the determined policies within the decision-making mechanisms, which is the last implementation stage.

  • Issue Year: 6/2021
  • Issue No: 15
  • Page Range: 185-205
  • Page Count: 21
  • Language: Turkish