Climate Law was accepted in the Parliament, experts said it is a “climate change law”

The Climate Law proposal was accepted in the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Energy and Climate Science Expert Önder Algedik argued that the law was not climate-friendly. There was also criticism from the MPs about the inadequacy of the law.

The Climate Law Proposal was accepted in the TBMM General Assembly. The proposal regulates the activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. The law covers planning and implementation tools, revenues, permit and inspection processes.

Energy and Climate Science Expert Önder Algedik stated that the law is not climate-friendly. He said that while policies such as fossil fuels, asphalt, and concrete should be abandoned, there is a regulation that will increase these policies until 2038.

Algedik said, “This is not a climate law, it is a climate change law.” He emphasized that the climate law can only be achieved with effects that will benefit the climate. He stated that with the law, there will be no fewer coal power plants and no less coal will be burned.

Algedik said, “Will we burn less oil? No. Will we continue to pour asphalt and oil? Yes. It would be wrong to call this a climate law.”

Algedik, who said that the Emissions Trading System offered by the European Union is a system based entirely on buying and selling paper, stated that the system will not work. He stated that it will not be successful because fossil fuels are not reduced and energy efficiency is evaluated in a trade-oriented manner.

“Even if the Emissions Trading System is very good, this is a climate change law. It is not possible for it to work for those who will focus on trade,” Algedik said.

After the acceptance of the first four articles on April 10, 2025, the proposal was withdrawn on April 15, 2025, following the reactions of the opposition and NGOs. Algedik stated that no commission was brought for the proposal, which was said to be withdrawn to the commission, and no amendment work was done.

Speaking about the opposition's stance, Algedik said, "Instead of saying they will not be part of such a process, the opposition participated in the vote and legitimized the adoption of the law. There is no special difference between the previous version and the current one."

Algedik stated that the phrase “Türkiye’s first climate law” was wrong. He said that Türkiye has had a climate law for about 22 years but it has not been implemented. He also drew attention to the fact that the Istanbul Convention has not been implemented.

Algedik said , “It will definitely be implemented in this form. Because they will want to confine us to asphalt, coal, oil and natural gas even more.”

Stating that coal, oil, natural gas and concrete policies in Türkiye should be reset, Algedik said that scientifically this should be realized within 3-5 years. He stated that unless these policies are reset, Türkiye's problems will increase until 2038.

“Extreme meteorological events, our energy bills and destruction will increase. While we are paying for this, 4-5 sectors will make money,” he said.

CHP Tekirdağ Deputy İlhami Özcan Aygun, who reacted to the Climate Law proposal at the TBMM General Assembly, said that the AK Party was only concerned with creating climate rent with the climate law. He stated that they encountered a method that tried to make money by selling carbon.

Aygun said, “There is a mentality that works with energy producers who set up carbon markets and managers of factories that do not put filters on their chimneys. The AKP cannot protect nature, it only massacres it.”

Yeni Yol Hatay Deputy Necmettin Çalışkan stated that the law was not in line with the demands of the people, and said, “We are discussing a law to fulfill the demands of the big brothers. This law is nothing more than the imposition of the imperialists who pollute the environment.”

CHP Trabzon Deputy Sibel Suiçmez said that the justification for the proposal mentioned the need to combat threats such as drought, disaster and food security, but there was no provision in the proposal text regarding combating these.

CHP Deputy Serkan Sarı also drew attention to the fact that the law is not participatory and inclusive, saying, “There is only one segment covered by this law; your supporters who own capital.”

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum made a statement about the Climate Law on his social media account. He stated that the country's first climate law was accepted in the Parliament.

The institution said, “We will develop new technologies with the law, which is the most critical threshold of the 2053 Net Zero Emission and Green Development goal that our President announced to the whole world. We will run to the strongest point in both trade, industry and production; and we will protect our country from environmental disaster.”