We are facing a climate crisis and severe ecological destruction worldwide that threatens life on Earth. This destruction stems from policies of decision-makers and companies considering nature only as a resource to feed a profit-oriented growth economy. Crises affect mostly the people living in rural and forest areas where eco-crime is severely experienced, and as a result their living spaces are seized by companies. As in the world, the policies fueling ecocide and climate crisis are also on the agenda in our country.
Following Turkey’s ratification of the Paris Agreement, policy shifts towards serious carbon emission reduction and just transition were expected in environmental and climate agenda. However, despite the demands from NGOs, for example a net reduction target of 35%, we see that decision-makers do not set realistic goals for a solution. On the contrary, forests are cleared out for new coal mine sites to feed power plants, rivers are fragmented by barriers ignoring the right to water for all, and the construction of nuclear power plants continues against the people will all over the country.
Despite all the destruction, the resistance becomes stronger both in the world and in our country. There is also a collective memory of the green movement of Turkey, which has been fighting against ecological destruction and carried out “Ecological Constitution Initiative” and “Nature Has Rights” campaigns in previous years.
We continue to share the experience and collective memory of green movements both from Turkey and abroad. We aim to contribute to monitoring and advocacy to protect the rights of the nature, and hope to ensure new and powerful political discourse within the scope of “Ecocide and Rights of Nature” project, supported by Green European Foundation.
As a part of the project, we will hold “Ecocide and Rights of Nature” Conference on 3rd December 2022, Saturday between 09:30-17:00 in Bahçeşehir University, Faculty of Law, Özer Seliçi Conference Room in Beşiktaş. During this day, we will be together with rights of nature defenders, activists, and also theorists, lawyers, and members of the green movement fighting against ecocide.
We invite you to meet with us and to raise a voice against ecocide and the climate crisis.
PROGRAM
09:30 – 10:00 | Registration and Opening
10:00 – 10:15 | Opening Speeches
10:15 – 12:15 | Ecocide Theoretical Discussions
Serkan Köybaşı, Bahçeşehir University
Jessica Den Outer, Environmental Jurist
James Dawes, Macalester College
Barış Erman, Yeditepe University
12:15 – 13:10 | Lunch Break
13:10 – 13:20 | Video Stream: ‘Campaing Against of 3rd Bridge in Istanbul ’
13:20 – 14:50 | Crimes Against Nature
Özlem Altıparmak, Altıparmak Law Office
Zaklina Zivkovic, Organization for Political Ecology Poleko
Ari̇f Ali̇ Cangı, Environment Ecology Lawyer
14:50 – 15:20 | Break
15:20 – 17.20 | Forum