“Maybe hundreds or thousands of years later, if this inscription is to be found, we’d like you to know that there were people and organisations like us who had the foresight of the disasters humanity could suffer.”
On 20 June, a group of citizens, attorneys, doctors, engineers came together and sued to revoke licences of 7 coal power plants in Iskenderun Bay. They are fighting for the health of their community now as well as for future generations who will live here. They also buried an inscription detailing the effects of climate change to the ground in the hope that the predictions on the tablet never come to pass.
As of 2016, there are 25 coal power plants in operation in Turkey, and there are 71 new coal power plants in the pipeline.
The inhabitants of regions where coal power plants are in operation suffer from chronic respiratory diseases and decrease in their income due to agriculture in decline.
Sarıseki neighborhood of İskenderun, Hatay. (c) Kerem Yücel 2015
Iskenderun Bay has one of the most diverse terrestrial and marine ecosystems in Turkey. 20% of citrus production comes from this area and a majority of local people earn their lives from fishing, production of vegetables, fruit, olives and olive oil. With increasing number of planned new coal power plants in addition to fast pace industrialisation, Iskenderun Bay is becoming the most polluted region of Turkey where it is getting more and more difficult for local communities to sustain their lives. (more here)
Sarıseki neighbourhood of İskenderun, Hatay. (c) Kerem Yücel 2015
Kurtpınarı village, Adana (c) Kerem Yücel 2015
(c) Volkan Pekal, Evrensel
LETTER TO THE FUTURE
Scientists affirmed that for our civilisation to endure, global warming has to be limited at 2C which is the irrevocable line. If we were to reduce our carbon emissions to zero in 6 years, we have a 66% chance of staying below 1.5C.
Today, we have brought 7 suits to revoke licences of coal power plants in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Coal power plants are main culprits of climate change bringing doom to our planet and poisoning our country’s lands.
As emissions due to coal power plants increase, so does Earth’s temperatures. As temperatures go up, forests that absorb emissions burn. The warming of sea waters damage CO2 absorbing coral reefs. As glaciers melt, greenhouse gases underneath are exposed. Global warming, like a self-feeding snowball is bringing the end of civilisation as we know it.
All around the world climate disasters like floods are already happening. Agricultural lands are being flooded and food stocks are under danger. We depend on being able to breathe, nourish and accommodate ourselves on this planet; civilisation depends on that.
However, extreme greed and consumption frenzy have seized humanity like a disease. States and people, against all warnings, are not giving up the consumption addiction and fossil fuels. Maybe hundreds or thousands of years later, if this inscription is to be found, we’d like you to know that there were people and organisations like us who had the foresight of the disasters humanity could suffer.
In the hope that climate disasters that would cause this tablet to be found does not take place…
Adana Bar Association President Attorney Mengücek Gazi Çıtırık
Adana Medical Chamber President Dr. Ali İhsan Öktem
Adana Chamber of Agricultural Engineers President Semih Karademir
Adana ÇETKO President Dr.Sadun Bölükbaşı
Union of Turkish Bar Associations and Eastern Mediterranean Environmental Associations Volunteer Attorney İsmail Hakkı Atal
20 .06.2016
(c) Volkan Pekal, Evrensel