Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change explained

Seal Size:180px
Formed:29 June 2011
Preceding1:Ministry of Public Works (1920–1983)
Preceding2:Ministry of Development and Housing (1958–1983)
Preceding3:Ministry of Public Works and Housing (1983–2011)
Picture Width:250px
Picture Caption:Headquarters of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change in Ankara, Turkey.
Headquarters:Ankara
Minister1 Name:Murat Kurum
Deputyminister1 Name:Refik Tuzcuoğlu
Deputyminister2 Name:Fatma Varank
Deputyminister3 Name:Hasan Suver
Deputyminister4 Name:Vedad Gürgen
Agency Type:Environmental
Agency Name:Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change
Nativename:Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği Bakanlığı

The Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change (Turkish: Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği Bakanlığı) is a government ministry of the Republic of Turkey, responsible for the environment, public works, and urban planning in Turkey. The ministry is headed by Murat Kurum.[1]

History

The Ministry was formed in 1983 through the merger of the Ministry of Public Works (Turkish: Bayındırlık Bakanlığı, formed 3 May 1920) and the Ministry of Development and Housing (Turkish: İmar ve İskan Bakanlığı, formed 1958). The result was the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (Turkish: Bayındırlık ve İskan Bakanlığı), which was renamed to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation in 2011.[2] In 2021 climate change was added to the name.[3]

Organization

The Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change is headed by a Minister who is appointed by the President of Turkey. The ministry has several departments and agencies, including the General Directorate of Environmental Management, the General Directorate of Environmental Impact Assessment, the General Directorate of Spatial Planning, the General Directorate of Environmental Education and Public Participation, and the General Directorate of Climate Change.

Responsibilities

The ministry is responsible for combating climate change in Turkey,[4] and environmental issues in Turkey. Despite the Energy Ministry being represented on the Climate Change and Air Management Coordination Board, in 2018 the European Commission criticised the lack of co-ordination between the climate change policy and energy policy of Turkey.[5] the chief climate change envoy is Mehmet Emin Birpınar, a Deputy Minister of Environment.[6] According to the ministry the 2018 building standards amnesty raised 24 billion lira (4.2 billion USD), however as of 2023 it is not yet known what proportion of the buildings that collapsed in the 2023 quake had benefitted from building standards amnesties.[7] After the 2023 earthquake President Erdoğan decreed that the ministry would be the only decision maker for new housing projects in earthquake-hit areas.[8]

A National Environment Agency was established in 2020 but by 2022 had not become operational.[9]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Yeni Kabine listesi açıklandı, bakanlar belli oldu! İşte yeni Bakanlar Kurulu isim listesi. 4 June 2023. 4 June 2023. Habertürk. Turkish.
  2. Web site: Our History. 2021-01-19.
  3. Web site: 'Climate change' added to the name of Turkey's Ministry of Environment and Urbanization . Bianet.
  4. Web site: Turkey's Climate Change Policy, Legal and Institutional Framework.
  5. https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/20180417-turkey-report.pdf Turkey 2018 Report p92
  6. Web site: csb.gov.tr . Prof. Dr. Mehmet Emin BİRPINAR - T.C. Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği Bakanlığı . 2023-04-27 . csb.gov.tr . tr.
  7. News: 2023-02-14 . Erdoğan under fire as shoddy Turkish building standards exposed by earthquake . Financial Times . 2023-04-27.
  8. Web site: Buyuk . Hamdi Firat . 2023-02-24 . Erdogan Allows Faster Quake Housing With Presidential Decree . 2023-04-27 . Balkan Insight . en-US.
  9. Web site: Türkiye Report 2022 . 2023-04-27 . neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu . en.