{"id":11343,"date":"2023-08-19T09:19:37","date_gmt":"2023-08-19T09:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/2023\/08\/mo-2\/"},"modified":"2025-07-20T16:57:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T13:57:06","slug":"the-akbelen-case-how-to-handle-the-dilemma-between-energy-needs-environmental-requirements-and-international-obligations-mehmet-ogutcu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/en\/2023\/08\/the-akbelen-case-how-to-handle-the-dilemma-between-energy-needs-environmental-requirements-and-international-obligations-mehmet-ogutcu\/","title":{"rendered":"The \u201cAkbelen case\u201d: How to Handle the Dilemma Between Energy Needs, Environmental Requirements, and International Obligations? – Mehmet \u00d6\u011f\u00fct\u00e7\u00fc"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Before\nwe start discussing the Akbelen case in detail, it should be said from the\noutset that we cannot waste hundreds of years of forest stock, water and\nagricultural resources, tourism values, archaeological heritage, and our\npeople’s well-being just to provide energy production resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\nis tough to understand the further expansion of the lignite deposits in the\nAkbelen case to feed coal-fired thermal power plants, let alone the gradual\nexit from coal in line with the \u201cCarbon Zero\u201d 2053 target and commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As\na matter of fact, the sin is not a new one. Installing three coal-fired thermal\npower plants (including Yata\u011fan) on this lush coastline was a mind-boggling\nstrategic planning mistake. So, the button was fastened wrong from the\nbeginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seriously\ndamaging the ecosystem<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\nis possible for more solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and even natural gas\nresources to replace thermal power plants (over time), supplemented by storage\nand energy efficiency as needed. But I would like to point out that there is no\nimmediate solution on the horizon apart from shutting down the power plants,\nconverting their boilers to process other fuels, quickly putting green energy\ninto operation, or sending excess electricity from other regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With\nthe existing tree massacre, coal extraction from the area to be opened, and\nletting the current power plants continue their operations will seriously\ndamage our invaluable ecosystem, which will take centuries to replace. Akbelen\nis vital as it is a rain catchment basin for the region’s agriculture.\nFollowing the cutting of the forest, the coal mines, which are planned to be\ndeveloped, may also adversely affect the region’s agriculture. It is understood\nthat not only Milas but also Bodrum’s (already limited) drinking water\nresources are at the risk line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies\nare targeted, but not the government that grants the permission<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\nknow that the plundering of the country’s resources is not limited only to\nAkbelen. Today, similar scenes are experienced in all regions and villages in\nTurkey. Some are quarries, some are granite or marble, some are gold and silver\nmines, and some are hydroelectric power plants like Hasankeyf \u2013 they have\nmercilessly destroyed our habitats, historical heritage, and eco-climates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly,\nalthough these power plants are taken over from the state, and the state issues\nall licenses, the criticism arrows are directed in considerable measure to the\noperators of the power plants, Limak and IC \u0130\u00c7TA\u015e. The co-responsible\nregulatory state, however, chooses to remain silent, and the opposition’s\nresponse is poor. It is necessary to be careful against social media, which\nplays a vital role in publicizing the “Akbelen case” in the broadest\nway, for political manipulation by some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Efforts\nto clear the forest will shoot us all in the heel. This will have profound\ninternational repercussions for Turkey and the companies carrying out these\nactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coal\npower plants can be converted<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saving\nAkbelen from politicization with an intelligent strategy can set an example for\nother cases, and it can contribute significantly to our green transformation\nefforts, the well-being of the people of the region, and our ability to face\ninternational reactions that will bring us down in the league of environment\nand climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If\nnecessary, instead of eliminating forest areas for coal resources, these\nthermal power plants (although they are far from an alternative to a base load\npower plant of this scale) should be turned green with international funds\nwithin a specific calendar. In the short term, with modifications to the power plant\nboilers designed for regional coal, the use of other coal sources should be\nmade possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now\nthe genie is out of the lamp; Neither the state nor companies have the luxury\nof acting as if nothing had happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s\nno need for a conflictual situation. At the point where the country’s interests\nand ecological balances require, it is a virtue to turn back from the wrong\npath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At\nthe same time, special efforts should be made to ensure that those who do not\ncomprehend the backdrop of the electricity generation process, and those who\nconsume electricity generously without being aware of its source, see the other\nside of the coin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nwill we find the energy?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\noften hear from environmental massacre lobbies, \u201cThey are against coal,\nnuclear, wind turbines, hydroelectric power plants, and natural gas pipelines.\nWell, how will we meet this country’s rapidly increasing energy needs?\u201d The\nquestion remains unanswered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As\nsomeone who has devoted decades of work to energy issues and contributed to\nenergy security and creative solutions worldwide, I can say this is the wrong\nquestion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of\ncourse, we must ensure our energy needs and uninterrupted supply security, but\nby reducing foreign dependency as much as possible, narrowing down our current\naccount deficit, realizing green transformation away from fossil fuels, putting\nenergy efficiency into greater use, and developing new technologies and\nfinancial models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\ncan always procure energy from different sources by paying whatever the cost.\nBut it will take hundreds of years to regain the ecological balance and natural\nheritage that will be eroded, and we cannot see them for generations. We must\nhold this essential truth above all other facts, not only for the Akbelen case\nbut for all the assets of our country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While\npromising to reduce coal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Especially\nat a time when efforts are being made to transition to green energy all over\nthe world to combat the global climate crisis and restrict the production and\nuse of coal within the framework of “Zero Carbon” international\nobligations, and gradually closing thermal power plants are among the priority\ntargets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A\nfew months later (30 November – 12 December 2023), Turkey is expected to update\nits greenhouse gas emission reduction target before the COP28 United Nations\nClimate Summit in Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\nalone accelerating efforts in this direction, forests, and olive groves are cut\ndown, agriculture and water basins are destroyed, villages are wiped off the\nmap, and archaeological heritage is destroyed to meet the coal needs of thermal\npower plants in Turkey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\nis no justification for energy or precious metal production in our country,\nwhich already has a grossly deteriorated ecological balance, faces increasingly\ngreen poverty, and is at a high risk of desertification, about half of its\nsurface area (48.6 percent: current situation 25.5 percent + potential 23.1\npercent). Nothing can justify further deforestation. Especially the fact that\nthe Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, responsible for protecting nature, signed\nthis destruction license is incredible and difficult to explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Important\nbut transformable<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nfirst unit of Kemerk\u00f6y Thermal Power Plant was commissioned in 1993. In 2014,\nthe Yenik\u00f6y Thermal Power Plant, another public enterprise, was transferred to\nthe \u0130\u00c7TA\u015e Energy partnership of Limak, headed by Nihat \u00d6zdemir and \u0130brahim\n\u00c7e\u00e7en. After that date, although belatedly, despite the criticism that it was insufficient,\na specific chimney treatment investment was made, facilities were tamed to\nadapt to the environment, and efficiency was increased to produce more\nelectricity with less coal\u2014Caesar’s right to Caesar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yenik\u00f6y-Kemerk\u00f6y\nPower Plants, with a total installed power of 1,095 MW, meet a small portion of\napproximately 1 percent of our country’s electricity capacity (104,904 MW as of\nJune 2023). The domestic lignite source used in the power plants also provides\nsome savings in natural gas imports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As\na matter of fact, it is not a \u201cmust-have\u201d reality for Turkey. It is easy to meet\nthis rate quickly with energy efficiency improvements that will save up to 30\npercent. If the information provided by the company is correct, the power\nplants (as well as the new ones being built) maintain their vital importance\nfor this region, as they supply approximately a sizeable 62 percent of the\nelectricity used in the South Aegean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Woodland\nturned to the lunar surface<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nyou look at the photos and video footage, people rebel. Thousands of hectares\nof land have already been converted to the lunar surface to supply lignite coal\nto their thermal power plants. New cuts are on the way. Suppose Akbelen is\nincluded in the 220 thousand-decare coalfields. In that case, there is a risk\nthat \u0130kizk\u00f6y and other villages will be liquidated if the villager and\nenvironmentalist resistance do not yield results and the state and companies do\nnot intervene immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However,\nwe must remember that this ecological forest area serves not only energy but,\nmore importantly, more vital public benefits from water resources to\nagricultural production, from tourism to health and oxygen corridor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\ncompany is doing it wrong<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yenik\u00f6y-Kemerk\u00f6y\nElektrik \u00dcretim ve Ticaret A.\u015e (YK Energy) responded to the reactions that they\nproduced 51 billion kWh of electricity from lignite coal between 2015-2022,\nthat the company has underground coal reserves of 156 million tons. It also\nstated that it needed to extract the lignite reserve under the Akbelen Forest.\nConsidering the license area of 23,307 hectares, the 78-hectare Akbelen Forest\ncovers a tiny area, it argued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nstatement also states that \u201cif mining activities do not continue in the Akbelen\nforest area, electricity production at our power plant will have to stop within\n2024\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From\nmy point of view, the company, making a grave mistake, still looks at the\nAkbelen case through the glasses of supplying coal to the power plants,\nignoring the real reason for the reactions, while the images of women hugging\ntrees and the gendarmerie and the police spraying pepper gas are circulating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As\nfar as I can see, companies do not perform well in this regard in terms of\nstrategic communication. It is not possible to quell this rising reaction with\npress releases. They must develop a realistic alternative vision extending to\nthe medium term in cooperation with the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nenergy-coal-forest nexus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of\ncourse, we should all act together to prevent ecological disasters. We are hand\nin hand, but we also need to underline this fact in the context of\nenergy-coal-forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our\ncountry is heavily dependent on foreign oil and natural gas. On the other hand,\nin terms of coal source and production amounts, it is at the middle level in\nlignite and the lower level in hard coal (anthracite). 5.5 percent of the world\u2019s\ntotal proven lignite resource, approximately 3.4 percent of lignite and\nsub-bituminous coal resources, and approximately 1.1 percent of the total world\ncoal resources, including anthracite, are in Turkey. Private sector companies\ncontrol 41.7 percent of lignite resources, EUA\u015e 44.73 percent, and TK\u0130 10.87\npercent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\nare 405 MW asphaltite, 10,374 MW imported coal, 10,191 MW lignite, and 841 MW\nhard coal power plants within the electricity installed power of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coal\nis \u201cdomestic and national,\u201d but\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\nother words, coal power plants have a substantial share in the total installed\npower of our country. The average is 21 percent. Coal has been maintaining its\nimportance for years as a \u201cdomestic and national\u201d energy source in our country.\nHence, it’s not a new problem. Creating a solution quickly from today to\ntomorrow does not also seem easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nTurkish National Energy Plan published in December 2022 foresaw a \u201c1.7 GW\ndomestic coal power plant will be added to the system by 2030, considering the\nproblems and difficulties encountered in the reserve development process of the\nexisting planned fields in our country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\nshould be noted that there are over 2,400 coal-fired thermal power plants with\na total installed power of 2,100 GW, not only in Turkey but also in 79\ncountries worldwide. Therefore, this grave coal problem is a headache not only\nfor us but also for many countries, notably China, India, Russia, the USA, and\nPoland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGreen\nDeal\u201d and access to finance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s\nkeep the priority of “domestic and national” resources hot on the\nagenda as much as we want. Yet, we cannot stay out of the green transformation\nand clean fuels trend gaining strength worldwide. The mentality of “what\nis with us stays with us; you cannot intervene from the outside” is no\nlonger valid, especially on climate change issues. Just as human rights\nviolations and acts of genocide have become international crimes, policies and breaches\nthat lead to further climate change will increasingly be subject to\ninternational sanctions with binding political and economic consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As\nin the European Union\u2019s Green Deal, trade barriers, difficulties in accessing\nfinance, and political pressures will come one after another. Countries and\ncompanies that do not comply will most certainly face the risk of being\nisolated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\naddition to ecological reasons, we must reckon that archaeological excavations\nwere also carried out in the region in question, and finds such as a Byzantine\nchurch, many tombs, and oil houses were located. The lawsuit to declare the area\nan archaeological site was dismissed at the end of 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore,\nits echoes have not yet been reflected in the interior, but there will likely\nbe intense reactions from the international community to this green destruction\nin Akbelen before long. Severe sanctions may be imposed not only on the\ngovernment that gave the license and condoned the destruction of nature but\nalso on the IC \u0130\u00c7TA\u015e energy partnership (as well as their companies in other\nsectors), which carries out the destruction with the motive of commercial\ngains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\nany case, the priority should be nature. Those who try to draw a similarity between\nthe \u201cAkbelen case\u201d and the Gezi Park protests should listen to their conscience\nand support the efforts of protecting our country’s nature and archaeological\nheritage entrusted to us with a non-partisan approach. Nobody should try to\nderive political gains from this situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of\ncourse, it is necessary to look at the other side of the coin, understand the\nperspectives of coal producers and power plant operators, and consider their\ninterests reasonably. But under no circumstances shall we allow the felling of\nforests, the destruction of water and agricultural lands. Commercial losses can\nbe compensated by government financial and policy support and subsidies if\nnecessary. Whatever the price, it must be paid, in a transparent and\naccountable way, even in the current economic crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Akbelen\ncase may be a milestone<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\n\u201cAkbelen case\u201d may create a new milestone. The impact of coal-fired power\nplants on the environment and climate change, and the fact that lignite is\namong the most polluting sources, oblige us to accelerate clean energy (which\nhas already reached 54 percent of the installed electricity capacity) efforts,\nincluding nuclear. In the process that started with the Paris Climate Agreement,\nTurkey’s roadmap to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and to\nbring its emissions closer to zero is now of particular importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies\nin Akbelen, which try to be hampered by non-governmental organizations and\nlocal villagers, fail to show a convincing performance regarding ethical\nvalues, social and environmental responsibility, sensitivity to green, and\nenvironmental impact analysis. This means they are willing to pay financial\ncosts, harming themselves and losing their reputation as an international\nbusiness partner for their current and future projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Loss\nof sustainability and reputation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\nrecommend that these energy companies of our country reconsider their\nstatements and commitments on “sustainability,” develop a comprehensive\nstrategy of engagement with stakeholders, and put forward a coordinated\nschedule with the government for the transition from coal to other fuels and\nthe use of advanced technology towards this end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otherwise,\nthe possibility of losing their reputation and even being blacklisted not only\nin Turkey but also in the global league (not only in energy but also in other\nsectors) is a real one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\nall these problems, the state’s regulatory role, which has made strategic\nmistakes from the past to the present, should also be questioned. Lessons\nshould be learned from the Akbelen case, and the country’s energy production,\ntransmission, distribution, and consumption maps should be arranged in a more\nenvironmentally-climate-friendly and efficient way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The original version of this article was published in YetkinReport<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mehmet \u00d6\u011f\u00fct\u00e7\u00fc<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Chairman, Global Resources Partners, UK, and The London Energy Club. Former diplomat, prime minister adviser, IEA and OECD senior executive, director and independent board member at British Gas, Genel Energy, Invensys, \u015ei\u015fecam, Ya\u015far Holding companies. Chairman of the Middle East Institute, Washington DC, Advisory Board. He can be contacted at mehmetogutcu@me.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

To cite this work:<\/strong>\u00a0Mehmet \u00d6\u011f\u00fct\u00e7\u00fc, “The \u201cAkbelen Case\u201d: How To Handle The Dilemma Between Energy Needs, Environmental Requirements, And International Obligations?”,\u00a0Panorama<\/em>, Online, 19 August 2023, https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/blog\/2023\/08\/19\/mo-2\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Copyright@UIKPanorama All on-line and print rights reserved. Opinions expressed in works published by the Panorama<\/em> belongs to the authors alone unless otherwise stated, and do not imply endorsement by the IRCT, Global Academy, or the Editors\/Editorial Board of Panorama. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Before we start discussing the Akbelen case in detail, it should be said from the outset that we cannot waste hundreds of years of forest stock, water and agricultural resources, tourism values, archaeological heritage, and our people’s well-being just to provide energy production resources. It is tough to understand the further expansion of the lignite […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":10175,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[486],"tags":[985,608,656,895],"class_list":["post-11343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion","tag-energy-politics","tag-energy-environment-resources","tag-english","tag-turkey"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11343","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11343"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11343\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalpanorama.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}