Dr. Baran Bozoğlu, President of the Chamber of Environmental Engineers, who was elected as a CHP Party Assembly member, evaluated the warnings in the EU Progress Report.
Stating that the urbanization part should be separated from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Bozoğlu said that the Environment Agency should be responsible for inspections and permits.
The European Union’s Progress Report on Turkey contains important warnings for Turkey in the ‘environment’ chapter. Turkey’s emission reduction target, sanctions on environmental pollution and warnings on asbestos were the main points of the report. In addition, Turkey’s efforts for the European Green Deal and Carbon Tax at the Border were found insufficient.
Dr. Baran Bozoğlu, President of the Chamber of Environmental Engineers, who was elected as a member of the CHP Party Assembly, evaluated the environmental section of the Progress Report to EKONOMI daily.
Noting that the report states that although legislation has been prepared, there is no implementation and enforcement, Bozoğlu stated that in this context, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change should be restructured. Suggesting that the Ministry of Urbanization should be separated and the Ministry should be transformed into the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Baran Bozoğlu demanded that inspections for the control of environmental pollution should be increased.
Stating that millions of tons of earthquake wastes could not be managed and this was reflected in international reports, Bozoğlu said that occupational health measures were not taken and the hazardous waste management process was not implemented. Bozoğlu stated that this lack of control brings the risk of turning a natural disaster into a disaster that will last for thousands of years. Underlining that the report mentions the lack of implementation and sanctions on issues such as water management and drought plans, Baran Bozoğlu emphasized that a Water Law is urgently needed.
“Environment Agency has become a source of income”
Referring to the activities of the Environment Agency, Baran Bozoğlu stated that the institution, which should normally determine the inspection, permit and license processes, has turned into a political structure that follows fines and creates a revenue gate within the scope of the Zero Waste regulation. Stating that the structure created with millions of Euros of support from the EU has evolved into another field, Bozoğlu reminded that many environmental regulations are constantly postponed. Baran Bozoğlu stated that the EU has warned that there is a lack of harmonization in areas such as the European Green Deal and Carbon Regulation at the Border, and that this contains dangerous elements for the Turkish industry in the coming period.
EU’s Turkey findings on the Environment Chapter
* Turkey is in compliance with the EU’s EIA and Strategic Environmental Assessment Directives.
* Turkey is not party to the 1991 Espoo Convention on Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment and the Arhuss Convention on access to information and public participation in decision-making.
* There is still no harmonization with EU legislation on air quality and breathable air, and air pollution is a problem.
* Implementation of waste management plans at local and regional scale is insufficient.
* EU Ship Recycling Regulation was not adopted, 2 recycling facilities were removed from the EU ship recycling list.
* Earthquake wastes (rubble etc.) pollute the ecosystem in the areas where they are dumped, including asbestos content.
* Compliance with legislation in water management is good, but implementation and enforcement are weak.
* Preparations for drought management plan and groundwater management plan are still at an early stage.
* Harmonization with the EU’s maritime strategy has not yet started.
* The opening of protected areas, natural areas, wetlands and agricultural areas for mining has not been harmonized with the EU.
* Progress was made on chemicals legislation, but implementation and enforcement remained weak.
* Turkey’s emission targets for climate change are not in line with the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement.
* Turkey has not harmonized with the “fuel quality directive”.
* No alignment with the Carbon Capture and Storage Directive.