Begüm Öktem¹, Cem Canel²

(1. Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey; 2. University of North Carolina Wilmington, USA)

 

Abstract: Most people may have a negative impact on the environment in which they live. In large part, this is due to rapid population growth as well as water, air, and soil pollution. In recent years, the magnitude of this problem has grown. While some resources are renewable, replacing many others with new resources may be difficult or even impossible. Laws, regulations, and institutions have been created and are being executed with the goal of protecting the environment for the purpose of environmental remediation and leaving behind a livable environment for future generations. In doing so, these instruments must meet the needs of the present generation and consider the needs of future generations. “Sustainability” generally has three dimensions: social, economical and environmental. Although social and economical dimensions have been studied extensively, consideration for the environmental dimension has recently been gaining more importance. This consideration in developed countries has become prominent. But developing countries, such as Turkey, have not prioritized environmental issues. In this paper, the existing state of affairs concerning sustainability in Turkey is analyzed.

 

 

Key words: sustainability; environment; environmental sustainability; Turkey

 

JEL code: F640