There were two significant periods of climate change in the Bronze Age.[33] According to Boğaziçi University's Center for Climate Change and Policy Studies, human-caused climate change in Turkey started in the 1970s.[34]CMIP 6 models it well.[35] One example of climate change's impact will be on the distribution of rainfall: the descending edge of the Hadley cell (an area of circulation near the equator) may move northwards towards Turkey, whose southern border is around 36 degrees north, and this may reduce rainfall in the south of the country.[36]
As of 2020[update], the hottest year on record was 2010, second hottest 2018 and third 2020.[40] Turkey is forecast to be more severely affected than many other countries,[41][42] but effects vary considerably across the regions of the country.[43]
Climate change has reduced rainfall in some regions and has made it less regular, which has put stress on hydroelectric power plants.[59] Between 1979 and 2019 annual precipitation fluctuated from over 60 cm to under 45 cm,[59] and average annual temperatures varied by 4 degrees.[59]
Turkey is already a water stressed country, because the amount of water per person is only about 1,500 m³ a year: and due to population increase and climate change it is highly likely the country will suffer water scarcity (less than 1,000 m³) by the 2070s.[36] Little change is forecast for water resources in the northern river basins, but a substantial reduction is forecast for the southern river basins.[36]Konya in central Turkey is also vulnerable.[60] Charging for water used by agriculture has been suggested.[61]: 64–66
Producing beef in Turkey needs almost half as much again water as the global average,[62]: 109 but although climate change is causing droughts in Turkey,[63][52] the production of newborn calves is subsidized.[64]
In coastal areas, highly affected land types are permanent wetlands, croplands and grassland.[59] Climate models predict that extreme weather events will increase in the Mediterranean.[42]: 151 Glaciers in Turkey are retreating:[65] the largest remaining are the glaciers on Mount Ararat and these are forecast to be gone by 2065,[66] as they are melting much faster than mountain glaciers in many other parts of the world.[58] Because the climate in the south is forecast to become hotter and drier it may be very difficult to keep the current southern forests in Turkey.[36]In 2020 there were more forest fires than normal. Soil erosion is forecast to increase.[67] The rise in sea surface temperature is one of the causes of marine mucilage in the Sea of Marmara,[68] and is expected to further change marine life in Turkish waters.[69] The sea surface temperature of the Black Sea has increased by 2 degrees,[70] and there are concerns of bears not hibernating.[71]
Floods in 2020 caused billions of lira (hundreds of millions of dollars) in damages.[72] Environment Minister Murat Kurum estimated in 2021 that losses due to disasters caused by climate change would amount to billions of lira (hundreds of millions of dollars).[73] Loss in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person by 2100 is forecast in a 2019 study to be less than 1% if the concentration of GHG in the atmosphere is kept to Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 2.6.[74] The World Bank has estimated the cost and benefits of stopping net carbon emissions, but has suggested government do far more detailed planning.[75] For companies which responded to the Carbon Disclosure Project in 2022 the main climate change risk to their businesses is carbon pricing, such as the European Union Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.[76]: 10
Unless global emissions are greatly reduced agriculture in Turkey, such as wheat,[78][79] is expected to be severely affected after the late 2030s, especially in areas with rain fed agriculture.[80] Arid and semi-arid areas are at risk of desertification.[81] Water is lost through evaporation due to "old-fashioned" irrigation techniques used by the Southeastern Anatolia Project, increasing the risk of severe water shortage.[82]
Damage to agriculture[83] is predicted to greatly increase,[80] for example due to "false spring" germination or blossoming followed by a cold snap.[40] The increase in early blooming, which is happening due to climate change, can be a problem for crops such as fruit trees.[84]Vineyards in Thrace are being affected.[85] A significant decline in agricultural production is transmitted throughout the economy and reduces national welfare.[86] More agritech co-operation with the EU and UAE has been suggested.[87]
Tourism in Turkey may become too hot in the summer for some people, for example Antalya could become too hot for some visitors during some school holidays.[97] Development of ski resorts in the Central Taurus and eastern Black Sea region mountains may not be possible.[98]
Climate change may impact health in Turkey, for example due to increased heatwaves,[99][100] especially elderly and chronically ill people and children.[101]Wildfires in Turkey were the worst in the history of the republic in 2021 and killed several people and injured hundreds. Droughts risk mosquito borne diseases.[102] 1,350 people died because of floods between 1970 and 2014 in Turkey and about 2 million people were affected by those floods.[42]
Environmentalists say that new highways and building concrete are hindering absorption of floodwater by the land.[107] Because of the increase in temperature, existing buildings will need more energy for cooling.[108]
The government said in November 2024 that that it was dedicated to global efforts to limit temperature increases to 1.5 degrees,[17] but according to Climate Action Tracker Turkey's GHG emissions are not in line with the Paris Agreement objective to limit temperature rise to well below 2 °C.[109]
A long-term climate change mitigation strategy is lacking as of 2023.[110]: 116 The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says a faster decarbonisation is needed, and emissions per person per year would need to be cut by more than half to about 2–2.5 t CO2e by 2030.[111]: XXV The government intended to complete its review of long-term (2030 to 2050) policy,[112]: 42 [b] and publish a new National Climate Change Action Plan with sector specific targets and monitoring mechanisms by 2023,[115] but it did not.[116] Turkey argues that as a developing country it should be exempt from net emission reduction targets, but other countries do not agree.[115]: 59
Unless Turkey's energy policy is changed, European Union (EU) emissions per person are forecast to fall below Turkey's during the 2020s.[111]: 22 Since the EU is Turkey's main trading partner, a comparison with targets in the European Green Deal is important to help Turkish businesses avoid future EU carbon tariffs on exports such as steel[117] and cement.[118] Public and private sector working groups discussed the European Green Deal,[119] and the Trade Ministry published an action plan in response to its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.[120]
A national strategy and action plan for adaptation to climate change was published in 2012,[121] but as of 2023 Turkey has yet to submit a National Adaptation Plan to the UNFCCC.[122] The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is researching the effects of climate change and developing an adaptation strategy.[123] An adaptation report was written in 2021.[124]
The Twelfth Development Plan (2024–2028) mentions climate change.[126]: 217–220 Xeriscaping of green spaces in cities has been suggested,[127] and Istanbul has a climate change action plan.[128] A 2023 study suggested that local climate change plans should be better integrated with local spatial plans.[129] As of 2024[update] a climate change law has not been passed, although a draft was published in 2020.[130]
Environmental activist Greta Thunberg and 15 other children filed a petition in 2019 protesting lack of action on the climate crisis by Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, and Turkey[137][138] saying that, amongst other dangers, more deadly heat waves would affect them and other children in future.[139]: 29 The petition challenged the five countries under the Convention on the Rights of the Child:[140] "Comparable emissions to Turkey's rate of emissions would lead to more than 4°C of warming."[139]: 66 If the petition is successful, the countries will be asked to respond; however, any suggestions are not legally binding.[141][142] In 2020, Turkey and 32 other countries were sued at the European Court of Human Rights by a group of Portuguese children.[143]
Article 56 of the constitution says that, "Everyone has the right to live in a healthy and balanced environment. It is the duty of the State and citizens to improve the natural environment, to protect the environmental health and to prevent environmental pollution." Turkey has ratified the Paris Agreement and says that its greenhouse gas emissions will be net zero by 2053, but the government has no plan to phase out coal.[144] As of 2024 two cases have been rejected and one has been partly successful.[145]
In 2020 and 2021 sixteen non government organizations filed lawsuits requesting the president shutdown 37 large coal-fired power stations and over 600 mines.[146][147] In addition to climate change arguments the plaintiffs alleged that cancer cases are increased and the COVID-19 pandemic was worsened by their air pollution.[148] The case was rejected by the 11th administrative court of Ankara for various reasons.[149]
In 2023 young climate activists opened a case alleging that the nationally determined contribution (NDC) was inadequate.[150][151] The three youth climate activists filed a lawsuit against President Erdoğan and the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change because Turkey’s Nationally Determined Contribution is not to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. They alleged that there is no effective climate action plan for energy. They alleged that these violate their human rights stated in the constitution, such as the environmental clause in the constitution.[152] The Council of State rejected the case on the grounds that it was an ‘annulment of an administrative action’ case but the NDC is not an administrative action.[145]
In 2022 and 2023 cases were brought about Lake Marmara drying up.[153][154] In 2024 a court decided to pause the process of reclassifying the land as not wetland, on the grounds that it could be rewetted: Doğa are calling for the court to annul the reclassification.[155]
In the 1990s independent Açık Radyo (Open Radio) broadcast some of the first media coverage of climate change, and its founder Ömer Madra(in Turkish) emphasises "The three Y's in the fight on climate change: Yerel (local) Yatay (horizontal) and Yavaş (slow, no resort to violence)."[156] The station continues,[157] and İklim Haber (Climate News) also covers climate change issues in Turkish and English.[158] The climate impact of coal power is rarely discussed,[157] and nearly all Turkish media owners have financial interests in fossil fuels.[159]: 17, 20 The media covers climate change only during extreme weather events, with insufficient expert opinions or civil-society perspectives.[160]: 28 Some think tanks, such as Ember, are respected by both industry and environmentalists.[157] Ufuk Alparslan, Ember’s regional lead, says that readers are enthused by solar power increasing energy independence and reducing import costs, but are not much interested in the climate benefits.[157] The arts are raising awareness of climate change (although some are sponsored by companies whose environmental policies have been criticised[157]),[161] and education is supported by the EU.[162][163] Protests against opencast coal mining, such as at Akbelen Forest, have been covered by small media outlets such as Yeşil Gazete and Kaldıraç Magazine.[157]
İklim Haber (Climate News) and KONDA Research and Consultancy found in 2018 that over three-quarters of public opinion on climate change thinks that extreme weather has increased.[166] According to the latest report written in Turkish and prepared by another collaboration of İklim Haber and Konda Research in 2020, 51.5% of the public opinion believe that the climate crisis is a bigger threat than the coronavirus crisis.[167] Also, 71.4% of the public opinion acknowledge that current climate crisis is a result of human activities.[167] Some construction companies have been accused of greenwashing, advertising their buildings as environmentally friendly without obtaining any green building certificates.[168]
In a 2019 E3G poll of six Belt and Road Initiative countries (including Turkey), solar was the most popular energy source and coal the least popular.[169] Twenty-four Turkish cities committed to the Paris Agreement targets that year,[170] and the United Nations Development Programme partnered with the Turkish Basketball Federation in 2020 to raise public awareness of the fight against climate change.[171] A 2020 study found that the level of public support for a potential carbon tax does not depend on whether the proceeds are used for mitigation and adaptation.[172] In 2023 a draft law was proposed including public information and adding climate change to education in Turkey.[14]
In 2021, Turkey ratified the Paris Agreement, with all parliamentary members voting to ratıfy.[175] Prior to this, it was one of the last few remaining countries, alongside neighboring country Iran, to not have ratified the agreement. It was the last of the G20 countries to ratify. Their reason for delay, according to the current presidency at the G20 summit in 2020, was the countries "negligible historical responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions (less than 1%)". Turkey is not party to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention).[176] In 2021 Turkey ratified the Kigali Amendment to reduce production and use of hydrofluorocarbons.[177] It has no carbon tax or emissions trading scheme, therefore carbon capture and storage is not used as it is not economically viable.[178]Armenia says that dam construction in Turkey has combined with climate change to reduce flow in the Araks River basin.[179]
^National energy plan(PDF) (Report) (in Turkish). Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. 2022. Mevcut planlanan sahaların rezerv geliştirme sürecinde karşılaşılan sorunlar ve güçlükler dikkate alındığında, 2030 yılına kadar 1,7 GW yerli kömür santralinin sisteme dahil olacağı öngörülmüştür.
^Schuur, Edward A.G.; Abbott, Benjamin W.; Commane, Roisin; Ernakovich, Jessica; Euskirchen, Eugenie; Hugelius, Gustaf; Grosse, Guido; Jones, Miriam; Koven, Charlie; Leshyk, Victor; Lawrence, David; Loranty, Michael M.; Mauritz, Marguerite; Olefeldt, David; Natali, Susan; Rodenhizer, Heidi; Salmon, Verity; Schädel, Christina; Strauss, Jens; Treat, Claire; Turetsky, Merritt (2022). "Permafrost and Climate Change: Carbon Cycle Feedbacks From the Warming Arctic". Annual Review of Environment and Resources. 47: 343–371. doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-012220-011847. Medium-range estimates of Arctic carbon emissions could result from moderate climate emission mitigation policies that keep global warming below 3°C (e.g., RCP4.5). This global warming level most closely matches country emissions reduction pledges made for the Paris Climate Agreement...
^Phiddian, Ellen (5 April 2022). "Explainer: IPCC Scenarios". Cosmos. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023. "The IPCC doesn't make projections about which of these scenarios is more likely, but other researchers and modellers can. The Australian Academy of Science, for instance, released a report last year stating that our current emissions trajectory had us headed for a 3°C warmer world, roughly in line with the middle scenario. Climate Action Tracker predicts 2.5 to 2.9°C of warming based on current policies and action, with pledges and government agreements taking this to 2.1°C.
^Baldasso, V.; Soncini, A.; Azzoni, R.S.; et al. (2018). "Recent evolution of glaciers in Western Asia in response to global warming: the case study of Mount Ararat, Turkey". Theor Appl Climatol. 137 (1–2): 45–59. Bibcode:2019ThApC.137...45B. doi:10.1007/s00704-018-2581-7. S2CID125700008.