Gökay Başcan
The country is being suffocated by a series of regulations and legislative changes introduced in recent months. With regulations made in line with the demands of mining companies and energy lobbies, the country’s natural resources are being mortgaged, while the water, food and climate crises are deepening by the day.
Legal mechanisms protecting forests, olive groves, agricultural lands, and underground and surface water resources are being dismantled one by one, while the right to object has been curtailed, creating a ‘thornless rose garden’ for companies. The changes made to mining, forestry, and environmental legislation in the last three months alone clearly show the extent of the destruction that nature could face in the coming period.
1- DEMOLITION UNDER THE GUISE OF THE CLIMATE LAW
The Climate Law, which had been debated for a long time and withdrawn after protests, was finally approved by Parliament in July after all the efforts of those in power. The amendment, described by the public as “super plunder”, was made under the guise of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. It was noted that the law, drafted in line with the demands of capital, paved the way for fossil fuel lobbies to pollute nature. The opposition stated that the climate law was contradictory in name and provided convenience to polluters.
2- OCCUPATION LAW
The amendment to Law No. 7554, which opens up forests, olive groves and pastures to mining and energy companies, was approved in July. Environmental activists and lawyers were harassed during the commission hearings. With the amendment, which was referred to the Constitutional Court for annulment, all legal regulations protecting nature were abolished, and the EIA process was bypassed. The way was paved for energy and mining projects in olive groves, which are normally prohibited. Citizens’ mechanisms for objection were eliminated, and the occupation of villagers’ land was made possible under the guise of “emergency expropriation”. The amendment also took a decision that perfectly reflects the characteristic feature of the one-man regime. A board will be established, headed by the Vice President, to which all powers will be concentrated.
3- NATIONAL PARKS TARGETED
The ‘Proposal for Amendments to the National Parks Law and Certain Other Laws’ was approved by the Turkish Grand National Assembly’s Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Affairs Committee in October. The proposal, which is expected to come before the General Assembly in the coming days, contains regulations that pave the way for the plundering of National Parks. There are 50 national parks in the country, covering a total area of 822,522 hectares. These areas, which have a very high ecosystem value, also serve as “laboratories” for scientific research. If this amendment is approved, national parks and nature parks will be opened up to tourism, energy, mining and infrastructure investments under the guise of ‘public benefit’. While the authority to grant permits will be transferred to the Ministry of Tourism, the scientific planning powers of the General Directorate of National Parks will be removed. It also paves the way for investment permits to be granted without the approval of forestry, ecology and conservation experts.
4- WASTE DISPOSAL INTO THE SEA
In October, amendments were made to the Water Pollution Control Regulation. The amendments introduced new provisions for waste disposal and carbon storage in the sea. Permission was granted to discharge ‘non-hazardous inorganic waste’ via pipelines into sea areas deeper than 250 metres. The amendment to the regulation, which jeopardises the country’s water resources, is directly linked to the waste discharge project into the sea by the Eti Bakır facility, affiliated with Cengiz Holding in Samsun Tekkeköy. The Black Sea ecosystem, which is disappearing day by day under the pressure of the climate crisis, pollution and fish farms, will suffer great damage with this change.
5- CYANIDE IS PERMITTED
The draft Regulation on the Separation and Management of Protected Forests, obtained by BirGün, revealed that the AKP government is planning a new attack on forests.
While cutting trees is prohibited in conservation forests covering a total area of approximately 247,707 hectares in 54 separate regions across the country, the amendment to the regulation allows for cyanide mining operations. According to the 18-article ‘Draft Regulation on the Separation and Management of Protected Forests,’ the way will now be paved for various activities, primarily mining, to be carried out in protected forests.
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CONSTITUTIONALLY UNLAWFUL
Prof. Dr. Sezgin Özden, who evaluated the proposed regulation change for protected forests, pointed out that it is unconstitutional. Prof. Özden stated, “Opening protected forests to mining, energy, or infrastructure investments is a choice that jeopardises long-term ecological security, climate stability, and water resources for short-term economic gain. The correct environmental policy is to plan development without destroying nature, that is, according to the principle of ecological sustainability.‘
LOBBYING EFFECT
Evaluating the government’s move as “rapidly converting natural resources into cash”, Özden said, ’Environmental and forestry legislation in Turkey has been changed frequently in recent years, granting the administration broad discretionary powers. The concept of public interest is interpreted very broadly, and activities focused on private interests, such as mining, are also evaluated within this scope. The influence of the mining lobby on regulatory bodies has increased in bureaucracy and policy-making processes. These companies are used as political pressure tools with both employment and investment arguments.”
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Bu rejim ülkeyi oksijensiz bırakıyor, published in BirGün newspaper on November 3, 2025.
