Environmental issues in Turkey

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Free coal is distributed to the poor by the Ministry of Family and Social Policy. Free coal distributed to poor people by the Family and Social Policies Ministry of Turkey.JPG
Free coal is distributed to the poor by the Ministry of Family and Social Policy.

Turkey hosts more than three thousand endemic plant species, has high diversity of other taxa, and is mostly covered by three of the world's thirty-five biodiversity hotspots. [1] Although some environmental pressures have been decoupled from economic growth, the environment still faces many threats, such as coal and diesel fuel emitting greenhouse gases and deadly fine particulate air pollution. [2] As of 2023 there is no fine particulate limit and coal in Turkey is subsidized. Some say the country is a pollution haven. [3]

Contents

Issues

Conservation of biodiversity

The wildlife of Turkey is diverse, due to its wide variety of habitats and unique position between three continents and three seas. "Ill-considered development projects are threatening biodiversity, but a new wildlife corridor offers hope for further conservation progress." [4] Turkish montane forests face major threats to their genetic diversity associated with over-exploitation, forest fragmentation, air pollution, and global climatic change. [5] The European Environment Agency has identified three biogeographic regions in Turkey, the Black Sea, Mediterranean and Anatolian regions, which should be protected under the Berne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, to which Turkey is signatory. [6]

Forest in Turkey had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.39/10, ranking it 75th globally out of 172 countries. [7]

Air pollution

Air pollution is particularly significant in urban areas; [8] the problem is especially acute in Istanbul, [9] Ankara, Erzurum, and Bursa, where the combustion of heating fuels increases particulate density in winter. Almost all the urban population is exposed to particulate matter emissions higher than the EU and World Health Organization limits. [10] Especially in Istanbul, increased car ownership causes frequent urban smog conditions. [11] "Air pollution in urban centers, often caused by transport, and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems." "PM10 levels are 36.7 micrograms per cubic meter, much higher than the OECD average of 20.9 micrograms per cubic meter, and the annual guideline limit of 20 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization." Although there is some monitoring of air pollution compared with other European countries, many air pollution indicators are not available. [12] Regulations in Turkey do not contain any restrictions on the pollutant PM 2.5, which causes lung diseases. [13] Greenpeace Mediterranean claim that the Afşin-Elbistan coal-fired plant is the power plant with the highest health risk in Europe, followed by the Soma coal-fired power plant, also in Turkey. [14] [15]

Waste disposal

As of 2016 many municipalities use substandard dumps to dispose of waste. [16]

Noise

Environmental noise data is not reported. [17]

Climate change

Summer temperatures have increased and are expected to continue to increase due to climate change. [18] Coal in Turkey emits a third of the country's greenhouse gas.

Water

Pollution

Organic pollution of streams is a problem. [19] There is a potential for spills from the 5,000 oil- and gas-carrying ships that pass through the Bosporus annually.

Drought

Turkey is at risk of water shortages. [20] Almost three quarters of water that is consumed is used for irrigation in agriculture. [21]

Land degradation

Land degradation is a critical agricultural problem, caused by inappropriate use of agricultural land, overgrazing, or over-fertilization,. [22] Serious soil erosion has occurred in 69% of Turkey's land surface. A national soil information system is being developed as presently 'it is difficult to assess the levels of land degradation, desertification or soil contamination'. [23]

Green space in cities

Former military land in cities may be rezoned for housing. [24]

Laws and regulations

The Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change is responsible. The first Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control permits are expected to be issued in 2024, to use best available techniques but to use the least stringent emission levels (of those specified in EU 2017–1442). [25] In 2021 ships were banned from using open-loop scrubbers in national waters. [26]

The European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR) legislation was adopted in 2021 to be phased in. [27] There is a pollutant release and transfer register website but as of September 2024 no years are publicly searchable, because it is not yet technically complete (see FAQ). [28] In 2024 a draft similar to the EU green taxonomy was published. [29]

Politics

Environmental issues are becoming more politically sensitive. [30] Changes in the law on environmental impact assessments are being considered which will permit mining investments without waiting for environmental impact assessments. [31] The EU has asked for "a stronger political commitment". [32] In 2019 Turkey was one of five countries which voted against the proposed UN Global Pact for the Environment. [33]

A green deal action plan was written mainly by the Trade Ministry and published in 2021, [34] but according to the Health and Environment Alliance it does not set any tangible targets or deadlines. [35]

Economics

Ecotaxes on gasoline, diesel fuel and vehicles cover the social cost of carbon from the road transport sector, [36] however being nationwide they are not designed to cover the negative externality of health costs due to local air pollution in cities.

Subsidies

Turkey continues to provide substantial environmentally harmful subsidies, such as subsidies for poor families to use coal for heating. [37]

Restrictions on public access to information

As of 2019 Turkey is not a party to the Aarhus Convention, and the EU [38] and OECD say the government should remove restrictions on access to environmental information: [39] researchers say the government is punishing them for publishing information about pollution. [40]

See also

Sources

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smog</span> Smoke-like, fog-like air pollutions

Smog, or smoke fog, is a type of intense air pollution. The word "smog" was coined in the early 20th century, and is a portmanteau of the words smoke and fog to refer to smoky fog due to its opacity, and odor. The word was then intended to refer to what was sometimes known as pea soup fog, a familiar and serious problem in London from the 19th century to the mid-20th century, where it was commonly known as a London particular or London fog. This kind of visible air pollution is composed of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxide, ozone, smoke and other particulates. Man-made smog is derived from coal combustion emissions, vehicular emissions, industrial emissions, forest and agricultural fires and photochemical reactions of these emissions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air quality index</span> Measure of air pollution

An air quality index (AQI) is an indicator developed by government agencies to communicate to the public how polluted the air currently is or how polluted it is forecast to become. As air pollution levels rise, so does the AQI, along with the associated public health risk. Children, the elderly and individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular problems are typically the first groups affected by poor air quality. When the AQI is high, governmental bodies generally encourage people to reduce physical activity outdoors, or even avoid going out altogether. When wildfires result in a high AQI, the use of a mask outdoors and an air purifier indoors are also encouraged.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air pollution</span> Presence of dangerous substances in the atmosphere

Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances called pollutants in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. It is also the contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment either by chemical, physical, or biological agents that alters the natural features of the atmosphere. There are many different types of air pollutants, such as gases, particulates and biological molecules. Air pollution can cause diseases, allergies, and even death to humans; it can also cause harm to other living organisms such as animals and crops, and may damage the natural environment or built environment. Air pollution can be caused by both human activities and natural phenomena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yatağan power station</span> Coal fired power station in Turkey

Yatağan Power Station is a coal-fired power station in Turkey in Yatağan, Muğla Province in the south-west of the country. Currently owned by Aydem Enerji it has a 120m chimney. Yatağan thermal power plant consumes 5.4 million tons of coal from mines such as Turgut and can produce 3,780 GWh annually, the least productive power station in Turkey. The area is a sulfur dioxide air pollution hotspot and as of 2017 the air pollution caused by Yatağan and neighboring Kemerköy power station and Yeniköy power station is estimated to have caused 45,000 premature deaths. It is estimated that closing the plant by 2030, instead of when its licence ends in 2063, would prevent over 9000 premature deaths. Two workers were killed in 2018 and the plant's safety has been criticized by the Chamber of Engineers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health and environmental impact of the coal industry</span>

The health and environmental impact of the coal industry includes issues such as land use, waste management, water and air pollution, caused by the coal mining, processing and the use of its products. In addition to atmospheric pollution, coal burning produces hundreds of millions of tons of solid waste products annually, including fly ash, bottom ash, and flue-gas desulfurization sludge, that contain mercury, uranium, thorium, arsenic, and other heavy metals. Coal is the largest contributor to the human-made increase of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere.

Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials into the atmosphere, causing harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damaging ecosystems. Air pollution can cause health problems including, but not limited to, infections, behavioral changes, cancer, organ failure, and premature death. These health effects are not equally distributed across the U.S. population; there are demographic disparities by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and education. Air pollution can derive from natural sources, or anthropogenic sources. Anthropogenic air pollution has affected the United States since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air pollution in Canada</span> Overview of the air pollution in Canada

Air pollution is the release of pollutants into the air that are detrimental to human health and the Earth. In Canada, air pollution is regulated by standards set by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME), an inter-governmental body of federal, provincial and territorial Ministers responsible for the environment. Air pollution from the United States and to lesser extent Canada; caused by metal smelting, coal-burning for utilities, and vehicle emissions has resulted in acid rain, has severely impacted Canadian waterways, forest growth, and agricultural productivity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in Turkey</span>

Energy consumption per person in Turkey is similar to the world average, and over 85 per cent is from fossil fuels. From 1990 to 2017 annual primary energy supply tripled, but then remained constant to 2019. In 2019, Turkey's primary energy supply included around 30 per cent oil, 30 per cent coal, and 25 per cent gas. These fossil fuels contribute to Turkey's air pollution and its above average greenhouse gas emissions. Turkey mines its own lignite but imports three-quarters of its energy, including half the coal and almost all the oil and gas it requires, and its energy policy prioritises reducing imports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Eastern China smog</span> Air pollution event in eastern China

The 2013 Eastern China smog was a severe air pollution episode that affected East China, including all or parts of the municipalities of Shanghai and Tianjin, and the provinces of Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, and Zhejiang, during December 2013. A lack of cold air flow, combined with slow-moving air masses carrying industrial emissions, collected airborne pollutants to form a thick layer of smog over the region. Levels of PM2.5 particulate matter averaged over 150 micrograms per cubic metre; in some areas, they were 300 to 500 micrograms per cubic metre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air pollution in Turkey</span> Dirty air in the Republic of Turkey

In Turkey, air pollution is the most lethal of the nation's environmental issues, with almost everyone across the country exposed to more than World Health Organization guidelines. Over 30,000 people die each year from air pollution-related illnesses; over 8% of the country's deaths. Air pollution is particularly damaging to children's health. Researchers estimate that reducing air pollution to World Health Organization limits would save seven times the number of lives that were lost in traffic accidents in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate change in Turkey</span> Impact of global warming on Turkey and adaptation to it

Droughts and heatwaves are the main hazards due to the climate of Turkey getting hotter. The temperature has risen by more than 1.5 °C (2.7 °F), and there is more extreme weather.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenhouse gas emissions by Turkey</span> Climate-changing gases from Turkey: sources, amounts, and mitigation policies

Coal, cars and lorries vent more than a third of Turkey's six hundred million tonnes of annual greenhouse gas emissions, which are mostly carbon dioxide and part of the cause of climate change in Turkey. The nation's coal-fired power stations emit the most carbon dioxide, and other significant sources are road vehicles running on petrol or diesel. After coal and oil the third most polluting fuel is fossil gas; which is burnt in Turkey's gas-fired power stations, homes and workplaces. Much methane is belched by livestock; cows alone produce half of the greenhouse gas from agriculture in Turkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coal in Turkey</span>

Coal supplies a quarter of Turkey's primary energy. The heavily subsidised coal industry generates over a third of the country's electricity and emits a third of Turkey's greenhouse gases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afşin-Elbistan power stations</span> Coal fired power stations in Turkey

The Afşin-Elbistan power stations are two coal-fired power stations in the district of Afşin in Kahramanmaraş Province in Turkey. Both Afşin-Elbistan A and B burn lignite from the nearby Elbistan coalfield.

The Climate Change and Air Management Coordination Board is a government agency of the Republic of Turkey, responsible for coordinating policy against air pollution in Turkey and climate change in Turkey; board meetings are chaired by the Minister of Environment and Urban Planning.

Right to Clean Air Platform Turkey (RtCAP) is an independent non-governmental organisation exclusively focused on the issue of air pollution in Turkey.

Kemerköy power station is a 630 MW coal-fired power station in Turkey in Kemerköy, Muğla, completed in 1985, which burns lignite mined locally. Originally state owned by Electricity Generation Company it was sold in 2014 to Limak- IC İçtaş. In 2020 it received 140 million lira ($25,000,000) capacity payments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yeniköy power station</span> Coal fired power station in Turkey

Yeniköy power station is a 420 MW coal-fired power station in Turkey in Yeniköy, Muğla built in the late 20th century, which burns lignite mined locally. The plant is owned by Limak- IC İçtaş and in 2020 it received 93 million lira ($16,000,000) capacity payments. The area is a sulfur dioxide air pollution hotspot and as of 2017 the air pollution caused by Yeniköy and neighboring Yatağan power station and Kemerköy power station is estimated to have caused 45,000 premature deaths. It is estimated that closing the plant by 2030, instead of when its licence ends in 2063, would prevent over 7000 premature deaths.

Coal in Turkey generated a third of the nation's electricity in 2023. There are 55 active coal-fired power stations with a total capacity of 21 gigawatts (GW). In 2023 coal imports for electricity generation cost 3.7 billion USD.

Particulate pollution is pollution of an environment that consists of particles suspended in some medium. There are three primary forms: atmospheric particulate matter, marine debris, and space debris. Some particles are released directly from a specific source, while others form in chemical reactions in the atmosphere. Particulate pollution can be derived from either natural sources or anthropogenic processes.

References

  1. ↑ Şekercioğlu, Çağan H.; Anderson, Sean; Akçay, Erol; Bilgin, Raşit; Can, Özgün Emre; Semiz, Gürkan; Tavşanoğlu, Çağatay; Yokeş, Mehmet Baki; Soyumert, Anıl; İpekdal, Kahraman; Sağlam, İsmail K.; Yücel, Mustafa; Dalfes, H. Nüzhet (27 June 2011). "Turkey's globally important biodiversity in crisis". Biological Conservation. 144 (12) (published December 2011): 2752–2769. Bibcode:2011BCons.144.2752S. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2011.06.025. ISSN   0006-3207. OCLC   5899894758. S2CID   18094317 . Retrieved 28 August 2014– via ResearchGate.
  2. ↑ OECD (2019), page 3
  3. ↑ Bulut, Umit; Ucler, Gulbahar; Inglesi-Lotz, Roula (2021-03-18). "Does the pollution haven hypothesis prevail in Turkey? Empirical evidence from nonlinear smooth transition models". Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 28 (29): 38563–38572. Bibcode:2021ESPR...2838563B. doi:10.1007/s11356-021-13476-7. hdl: 2263/79375 . ISSN   1614-7499. PMID   33738742. S2CID   232273360.
  4. ↑ Gross, Michael (10 July 2012). "Turkey's biodiversity at the crossroads". Current Biology. 22 (13): R503–R505. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.06.051 . PMID   22970449.
  5. ↑ Çolak, Alpher H.; Rotherham, Ian D. (November 2006). "A Review of the Forest Vegetation of Turkey: its Status Past and Present and its Future Conservation" (PDF). Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 106B (3): 343–354. doi:10.3318/bioe.2006.106.3.343. JSTOR   20728606. S2CID   46955795. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2015– via UKEconet.
  6. ↑ Roekaerts, Marc (March 2002), The Biogeographical Regions Map of Europe: Basic principles of its creation and overview of its development, European Environment Agency, p. 7, retrieved 2019-08-28
  7. ↑ Grantham, H. S.; Duncan, A.; Evans, T. D.; Jones, K. R.; Beyer, H. L.; Schuster, R.; Walston, J.; Ray, J. C.; Robinson, J. G.; Callow, M.; Clements, T.; Costa, H. M.; DeGemmis, A.; Elsen, P. R.; Ervin, J.; Franco, P.; Goldman, E.; Goetz, S.; Hansen, A.; Hofsvang, E.; Jantz, P.; Jupiter, S.; Kang, A.; Langhammer, P.; Laurance, W. F.; Lieberman, S.; Linkie, M.; Malhi, Y.; Maxwell, S.; Mendez, M.; Mittermeier, R.; Murray, N. J.; Possingham, H.; Radachowsky, J.; Saatchi, S.; Samper, C.; Silverman, J.; Shapiro, A.; Strassburg, B.; Stevens, T.; Stokes, E.; Taylor, R.; Tear, T.; Tizard, R.; Venter, O.; Visconti, P.; Wang, S.; Watson, J. E. M. (2020). "Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity - Supplementary Material". Nature Communications. 11 (1): 5978. Bibcode:2020NatCo..11.5978G. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3 . ISSN   2041-1723. PMC   7723057 . PMID   33293507.
  8. ↑ "Air pollution 'gravest environmental issue'". Hürriyet Daily News . Istanbul: Doğan Media Group. 1 January 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  9. ↑ Onat, Burcu; Sahin, Ulku Alver; Akyuz, Tanil (12 November 2012). "Elemental characterization of PM2.5 and PM1 in dense traffic area in Istanbul, Turkey". Atmospheric Pollution Research. 4 (1) (published January 2013): 101–105. doi: 10.5094/apr.2013.010 . ISSN   1309-1042. OCLC   857474567.
  10. ↑ "How Turkey Can Ensure a Successful Energy Transition". Center for American Progress. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  11. ↑ "Fed up with Istanbul traffic". 20 February 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  12. ↑ European Environment Agency (2013). Air pollution fact sheet 2013 - Turkey (Report). Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  13. ↑ "AIR POLLUTION AND ISTANBUL; Alarm bells". Heinrich Böll Stiftung.
  14. ↑ Üzüm, İpek (28 May 2014). "Greenpeace warns about threat of Turkey's coal-fired power plants". Today's Zaman . Istanbul: Feza Publications. Archived from the original on 26 December 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  15. ↑ Tuna, Banu (11 September 2014). "Greenpeace activists detained in Turkey for protesting thermal power plant". Hürriyet Daily News . Doğan Media Group . Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  16. ↑ EEA (2019), p. 227
  17. ↑ EEA (2019), p. 255
  18. ↑ Lelieveld, J.; Hadjinicolaou, P.; Kostopoulou, E.; Giannakopoulos, C.; Pozzer, A.; Tanarhte, M.; Tyrlis, E. (11 March 2013). "Model projected heat extremes and air pollution in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East in the twenty-first century" (PDF). Regional Environmental Change. 14 (5) (published 24 March 2013): 1937–1949. doi: 10.1007/s10113-013-0444-4 . ISSN   1436-3798. OCLC   5690407361 . Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  19. ↑ Varol, Memet. "Assessment of Water Pollution in the Tigris River in Diyarbakır, Turkey". Water Practice and Technology. 5: 1–13.
  20. ↑ sabah, daily (2019-12-19). "Turkey at risk of water shortage in near future". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  21. ↑ Alphan, Melis (23 August 2014). "How can we fight against droughts?". Hürriyet Daily News . Doğan Media Group . Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  22. ↑ Savci, Serpil; Borkmaz, Bellitürk. "Assesment[sic] of Irrigation Water Quality of Some Provinces of Turkey" (PDF). International Journal of Modern Engineering Research. 3 (1): 19–22. ISSN   2249-6645 . Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  23. ↑ "Turkey's first online soil information system to be accessible to farmers and policymakers". FAO.
  24. ↑ "Turkish army's green areas may face risk of settlement". Hürriyet Daily News . Istanbul: Doğan Media Group. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  25. ↑ OECD (2019), page 94
  26. ↑ "Turkey bans open-loop scrubbers". Splash247. 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
  27. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230113174042/https://www.avrupa.info.tr/en/news/turkiye-2022-report-10910. Archived from the original on 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2023-01-13.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ↑ "POLLUTANT RELEASE AND TRANSFER REGISTER - TURKEY".
  29. ↑ iklim.gov.tr. "Taslaklar - İklim Değişikliği Başkanlığı". iklim.gov.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  30. ↑ "Riot police break up ODTÜ protest in Ankara, 24 students forming human chain detained". Hürriyet Daily News . Ankara: Doğan Media Group. Doğan News Agency. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  31. ↑ "Environment approval process 'not to delay big projects,' economy minister says". Hürriyet Daily News . Ankara: Doğan Media Group. Anadolu Agency. 28 September 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  32. ↑ European Commission (16 October 2013). Turkey 2013 Progress Report (PDF) (Report). p. 71. SWD(2013) 417 final. Retrieved 25 December 2015. A stronger political commitment would help to accelerate the alignment with and implementation of the acquis, as well as coordination and cooperation between relevant authorities at all levels.
  33. ↑ "U.S. One of Five Countries to Oppose UN Environment Pact". EcoWatch. 2018-05-11. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
  34. ↑ dongusel.csb.gov.tr. "Türkiye Green Deal Action Plan - Technical Assistance for Assessment of Türkiye's Potential on Transition to Circular Economy". dongusel.csb.gov.tr. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  35. ↑ "Health and Environment Alliance | Health benefits of a Green Deal approach in Turkey". Health and Environment Alliance. 2023-05-17. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  36. ↑ "Effective Carbon Rates 2018". OECD. 18 September 2018.
  37. ↑ OECD (2019), executive summary
  38. ↑ European Commission (2019), page 93
  39. ↑ OECD (2019), executive summary
  40. ↑ "Turkey: Censorship fogging up pollution researchers' work | DW | 17.09.2019". DW.COM. Retrieved 2019-09-27.

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