TÜRKİYE İKLİM ADALETİ AĞI KOORDİNASYONU TOPLANTISI 21 MART 2015 _ ISTANBUL _ MARCH 21 2015

TURKEY CLIMATE JUSTICE COORDINATION MEETING  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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CONTENTS

Summary __________________________________________________ 2

Introduction _________________________________________________ 3-4

Workshop of Grass Root Movements _____________________________ 5-7

Climate Justice Coordination Road Map ___________________________ 8-11

Final Declaration _____________________________________________ 12-13

List of registered participants ___________________________________ 14-15

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Just Sustainabilities Local Lab in Turkey on

“Climate Justice, Anti - Coal Movements and Transformative Potential”

21 March 2015

Summary

“Climate Justice, Anti-Coal Movements and Transformative Potential” local lab we have held

on March, 21, 2015 in İstanbul is designed to bring together local activists, researchers and

representatives of nation-­‐wide NGOs in an attempt to create an open space for deliberation on

climate justice, anti-­‐coal movements in Turkey given the recent boom of coal-­‐fired power

plant capacity and the transformative potential such movements entail. As Ecology Collective,

our current aim is to pledge support to local groups struggling against coal-­‐based thermal

power plants in diverse sites to increase their ability to reach information, build capacity

towards enjoying civil rights and freedoms, provide legal aid and eventually assist in

designing and implementing campaigns to carry their local grievances towards both national

and international climate justice agenda.

For the Local Lab as part of the Just Sustainabilities seed grant project, we have invited local

prominent activists from the anti-­‐coal movements in sites and tried to create a strategy for

needs on the road to and beyond national elections on June, 7, 2015 in Turkey. We have had

the opportunity to discuss in detail how certain movements succeed (ie. Gerze) and how

others might fail (ie. Aliağa) in their organization against such energy production methods.

We have designed the gathering to provide a space on rethinking the transformative potential

of a climate justice coordination body established across these groups in order to strengthen

grassroots movements’ influence in Turkey’s politics. As Ecology Collective, we strive to

establish a new perspective for political decision making processes to create nationwide

attention to grassroots struggles in empowering communities to not to just have a procedural

voice in decisions taken on their behalf but also to consider possibilities of energy justice and

climate justice by creating real-­‐life alternatives in these regions. Eventually this meeting will

serve to consolidate an activist-­‐led research agenda on what knowledge gaps are existing to

ensure a transformative shift towards climate and energy justice in Turkey.

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Climate Justice, Anti - Coal Movements and Transformative Potential

Introduction

We hereby would like to share with you the outputs of Just Sustainabilities: Local Lab in

Turkey on “Climate Justice, Anti - Coal Movements and Transformative Potential” Climate

Strategy for 2015-2016 meeting, we have realized on March, 21 in Babil Culture, Arts and

Documentary Films Association with the participation of Ecology Collective members and

local activists from Adıyaman-Gölbaşı, Çanakkale-Karabiga, Bartın, Sinop-Gerze, Yalova,

Zonguldak, Bursa, Muğla-Fethiye, İzmir-Aliağa.

We have covered quite an attentive and a productive workshop as constituents of Ecology

Collective and local activists during which we have evaluated our knowledge, experiences,

pros and cons with reference to how do we collaborate against coal based thermal power

plants. As the 21st session of The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) will

take place in France, Paris in December 2015, we have emphasized the significance of the

months ahead and determined our roadmaps to develop strategies regarding climate justice.

On the basis of Ethemcan Turhan’s presentation regarding the Seul vs. RWE (one of the

biggest energy producer companies in Europe) we have acknowledged the distance covered

with respect to climate justice in international arena. Following the presentation, we have

discussed on the necessity and possibilities to make the consensus on keeping the coal, oil and

natural gas under ground valid globally visible in Turkey as well in order to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions throughout 2015. The fact that energy production strategies and

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development plans are imposed on the society from the government(s) eventually caused

continuous increase in usage and import of coal throughout the years 1990 and 2013 resulted

in 113% of augmentation in measurable greenhouse gas emissions in Turkey displays the

urgency for preventive strategies.

Bengi Akbulut on the other hand explained us the growth and development based perspective

of the current government promoting and subsidising fossil based domestic resources,

attaching piority to coal in order to reduce foreign source dependency. The questions as to for

whom, by which means the energy is produced and who will undertake the costs had been

discussed. The consequence of growth and development focused policy implemented by the

government had been deemed to cause deprivation and sacrifice of both the ecological

balance and our healths.

Afterwards, once Ethemcan Turhan and Bengi Akbulut analysed the critical ecological crisis

threshold we are facing, representatives from grassroots movements have taken the floor to

tell us about their needs, acquisitons, drawbacks, deficiencies in order for all of us to discuss

on strategies and work out achievable, relevant solutions.

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Workshop of Grassroots Movements

Mr. Felek Kılıç from Adıyaman – Gölbaşı located in the eastern part of Turkey, described

their struggle against thermal power plant expressing the challenges to establish a platform

independent and situated supra from political parties emphasizing the impeding effects of the

ongoing dispute among the political party members and represantitives in the region. Lack of

an established platform causes top-down organizational form which is contrary to grassroots

movement organisation and hinders massification.

Mr. Adil Çeçen from Çanakkale – Karabiga, located in the north-western part on the

intersection of the Marmara and the Aegean Sea, had quoted complaints from Karabiga as the

massified opposition loosened in time, forested land and cultivated areas have been worn off

pacefully, municipality and investment companies cooperate in the region to actualize TPP

plans and the majority of citizens had retreated in fear. One of the lawyers registered in

Çanakkale Bar Association, Ali Furkan Oğuz made reference to numerous ecological

problems originating from gold mines to TPPs in Çanakkale and vicinities. He emphasized

need for planningi more lawyers and volunteers to engage in ecological law cases as

approximately 2 lawsuits are commenced each month which end up 4 counter lawsuits. As

awareness raising on behalf of the citizens living in Çanakkale takes time, the need for legal

support and guidance for organization had been emphasized as well.

Mr. Adnan Soylu form Bartın and Amasra, located on the north-western part along the Black

Sea, warned us that their living spaces have been transformed into a thermal power plant base.

He had conveyed experiencesfrom the ongoing struggle against TPPs and presented us

solution suggestions on needs and deficiencies agreed upon within their platform.

Ms. Safiye Yüksel on behalf of Yalova Platform, a lawyer herself, and Merthan Özcan, an

Ecology collective member as well, talked about Aksa factory active in Yalova being a

hazardous chemical storage indeed. Although the relevant law states the height of chimney as

225 metres, for the safe keeping of human health and ecological sustainability, the chimney

height ought to be 300 metres therefore they have quoted the anxiety dominant in the

province. They have requested information regarding the ecosystem for the ongoing trials and

expert witness reports against the lobbying companies. The main deterrent factors effecting

the mobilization in Yalova are the misleading perception regarding white smoke to be

harmless and the investor company being the leading source of employment.

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Ms. Şengül Şahin speaking on behalf of Green Gerze Environmental Platform (YEGEP) had

shared their successful experience with us as the grassroots struggle against Anadolu Gropu’s

TPP attempt which commenced 6 years ago have achieved its goal as the Ministry of

Environment and Urban Planning stopped the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

pprocess on February 28, 2015. She has begun her presentation by quoting Alain Badiou “we

have to be students of these movements and struggles, and not arrogant teachers”. She had

relayed their struggle experiences and campaigning methods to us. The importance of using

visual instruments, establishing a communication chain, having women as leaders of the

movement, simplifying concepts by substantial and scientific numerical facts, rendering

mobilisation continuos, holding meetings without interruption, reading and explaining EIA

reports, questioning the given realities have been emphasized in her speech. She had

underlined indispensable need for academicians working in the field of struggle against coal

based TPPs.

Mr. Bahadır Doğutürk on behalf of Aliağa based struggle against TPPs have described their

region where numerous investment plans are in effects as the second Dilovası (located in

Kocaeli where industrial plant are running and polluting the region) case. Aliağa is exposed to

over growth policies and currently threatened by emission values way above the saturation

point. The residents of the region have come to terms with Aliağa being an industrial area as

factories are acknowledged as opportunity for employment since 1960s. Therefore, people in

general remain distant from questioning the effects on agriculture and natural sources.

However, as Mr. Doğutürk quoted almost each household has faced a cancer case so it is of

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utmost urgency that we should concentrate on capacity increasing in order to restructure the

awareness and reaction in Aliağa by providing legal aid and cooperating with international

instittutions.

Within the frame of the discussions carried on in the first part of our workshop, we have

decided to collaborate our potential and ambition in order to pursue the grassroots

movements’ struggles against TPPs with gains and get involved in international agenda

resisting against fossil fuels. We have agreed upon to effectuate climate justice network so the

local struggles can collaborate together defending each others’ efforts and resist against

exploitation of natüre, labour and life itself by the capitalist system.

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Climate Justice Coordination Road Map

During the afternoon session of our meeting, we have requested from our participants to

express their ideas on post-its distributed in order to determine good examples and practices

worked out along with requirements useful for the grassroots movements. By this means, we

have structured a roadmap as expressed in the tables below.

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Table 1:

Our objectives set to be realized within 3 months of time

• Preparation of check list for EIA process

• Provide academic and legal support throughout the legal pursuit process

• Ensuring all the constituent of climate justice network announce a press release of

one particular grassroots movement to make a campaign known publicly

• Organising workshops in different locals in parallel with our struggle spots,

preparing press releases in order to mold public opinion and draw attention

• Preparation of regional reports supported by public health specialists and relevant

enginerer chambers in order to explain the danger of “white smoke” to people

• Generating methods to supply sustainable pecuniary resources to compensate expert

expenditures being in the first place

• Producing short documentaries and informative series for the information to be

acknowledged rightfully by the public

• Organisation of a “Climate Festival” and/or “Climate Caravan” in order to draw

attention to the 21st session of The United Nations Climate Change Conference

(COP21) scheduled to take place in France, Paris in December 2015

 

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Tablo 2:

Our objectives set to be realized in six months of time

• Training of lawyers engaged in ecological advocacy in order to lighten their burden

• Establishing solidarity neteork for local struggle organisation to support each other

• Creating an information repository, investigation and classification of

interconnectedness between companies and political parties, utilization of lawsuits

abroad as case studies and guidance, making the present scientific data and essays

accessible

• Creating alternatives in place of Ad hoc prevention efforts

• Forming an opponant expert network as to create opportunity to reflect scientific

prospect of environmental and mechanical engineers in the reports and request

declarations from them once needed

• Continuous on-site pursuit, face to face interaction along with supportive benefit from

the right to information

• Discussion on a necessity of “wikileaks” including public officers in order to have

access to decisions designed among the governmental bodies and investing companies

and contingently adapt it to our climate justice coordination

• Preliminary study on generating a method for “collective funding” revealed as a

necessity for advocacy and trial pursuits

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Table 3:

Our objectives set to be realized in one year of time

• Decision on the roadmap for maintaining an ecological society during which we are going

to concentrate on our work to prevent devastation of environmental values and ecological

balance, to ameliorate existent deteriorations, to sustain a biologically, physically and

chemically balanced environment for all human kind and other living kinds to survive

• Encouraging political parties to include our suggestions in their programmes on the way to

alter and improve the governments’ ecological policies

• Suppporting the political parties modifying their programmes in this direction

• Enabling public participation in “strategic EIA measurements” and supervision in the long

run when we can realize a genuine public EIA process in conformity with climate justice

ready to take the responsibilty of positive and negative effects of the planned projects’ on

the ecological sustainability

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Climate Justice, Anti - Coal Movements and Transformative Potential

Final Declaration

We have agreed on declaring the establishment of “Climate Justice Coordination” publicly via

iklimadaleti.org emphasizing to act in collaboration as we produce our words and strategies

together. We have confirmed to get organized on the basis of a non-hierarchical network in

which act in solidarity and ensure collaboration as a whole. The fact that pressure in terms of

changement in policies can be exerted as long as we continue our struggle in collaboration has

been confirmed by all participants.

“Strategic EIA report” had been appraised as a priority for rightful acknowledgement of the

public, for enabling smooth continuum of campaigns and for defending interest of people and

the nature.

We have decided on realisation of a MOOC (Massive Open Online course) for grassroots

movements to have access to basic information and skills necessary to carry out their self-

organizing entities and struggles along with information and suggestions related to

environmental legislation useful for lawyers as Ecology Collective. Within this framework,

we have decided on dissemination of our training purpose presentations in the format of fact

sheets and training videos via our website.

In furtherance high motivation of the ongoing grassroots movements and rendering

sustainability of the ecological struggle, the necessity to work towards process-driven

perception rather than result-oriented perception had been emphasized. The importance of

achieving small and/or big gains by the help of rightful legal support, accumulation of

experience without compromising our common principles had been highlighted.

Concrete suggestions had been determined for local organisational structures within the

Climate Justice network such as implementation of rotation in terms of assignment and

responsibility sharing and the importance of feedback. We have reached a consensus on

creating attention grabbing campaigning and struggling techniques avoiding direct conflict

with law-enforcement officers.

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As local representatives of anti thermal grassroots movements and Ecology Collective

members we have declared the establishment of Climate Justice coordination determined to

prevail its existence struggling against the ecological crisis induced by TPPs primarily

conserving the non-hierarchical relations basis on behalf of social solidarity and collaboration.

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List of registered participants

1. Adil Çeçen Karabiga - Karabiga Temiz Doğa Derneği

2. Adnan Soylu Bartın - Bartın Platformu

3. Ali Furkan Oğuz Çanakkale Barosu Çevre ve Kent Hukuku Komisyonu

4. Ayşen Aygün Dikili İklim Adaleti Gönüllüsü, Ekoloji Kolektifi

5. Bahadır Doğutürk Aliağa, Foça - FOÇEP

6. Bengi Akbulut İstanbul - Ekoloji Kolektifi

7. Bora Sarıca Fethiye - Muğla Barosu, Ekoloji Kolektifi

8. Cemre Kutluay İstanbul

9. Cömert Uygar Erdem Ankara – Ekoloji Kolektifi

10. Doğu Eroğlu Ankara – Ekoloji Kolektifi

11. Ebru Şeremetli İstanbul - Ekoloji Kolektifi

12. Emin Barış Tarım Ankara - Ekoloji Kolektifi

13. Emre Baturay Altınok Ankara – Ekoloji Kolektifi

14. Eralp Atabek Bursa - Bursa Barosu

15. Ethemcan Turhan İstanbul - Ekoloji Kolektifi

16. Felek Kılıç Gölbaşı – Adıyaman

17. Fevzi Özlüer Ankara - Ekoloji Kolektifi

18. Işık Kıribrahim Ankara – Ekoloji Kolektifi Proje Koordinatörü

19. Merthan Özcan Yalova - Ekoloji Kolektifi

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20. Safiye Yüksel Yalova - Yalova Barosu

21. Sinan Erensü İstanbul - Ekoloji Kolektifi

22. Şengül Şahin Gerze, Sinop - Yeşil Gerze Platformu

23. Yakup Okumuşoğlu Zonguldak - Zonguldak Barosu, Ekoloji Kolektifi