WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY MESSAGE FROM EGEMEN BAGIS

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis delivered a written message on the occasion of the world environment day.

In his message, Egemen Bagis noted the following:

After the decision taken in the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm, Swedish in 1972, 5 June is celebrated as “Environment Day” throughout the world.

Environmental pollution and problems due to pollutions are without doubt one of the biggest threats facing the globalising world. Growing human impacts and exploitation on the nature together with industrialisation and technological advancement brought about serious environmental problems. The principle of “sustainable development” has recently been at the top of the world’s agenda considering the fact that the problems threatening environment and habitat should dealt with a new and broad perspective. Turkey, as the 16th largest economy in the world and the 6th in Europe today aims to base the sense of growth on sustainable development and thus to guarantee both the environment and the rights of next generations.

Our people’s quality of life may only be improved by a clean environment and sustained and balanced use of natural resources. Within this framework, the accession negotiations between Turkey and the European Union are an important driving force to improve Turkey’s environmental standards.

Alignment with the EU’s environmental legislation offers improvement of inhaled air quality, cleaning and hygiene guarantee for the utility and drinking water, contribution of the wastes to the economy by recycling and prevention of noise pollution in public areas and guarantees a healthier environment for future generations. Each step to be taken for the application of EU environmental standards in Turkey will improve the quality of life and welfare of our people.

“Chapter 27-Environment” is one of 13 chapters that Turkey opened to negotiations despite all political blockages. We opened it to negotiations at the Intergovernmental Conference held on 21 December 2009. In other words, Turkey, in our term, has proved its capability to reach EU standards on environment.

As required by our civilization, our government has tried and tries to adopt a concept which would lead to a serious conscious movement on environmental awareness for the last 11 years.

We are coming from a culture where damaging the nature is condemned, personal and environmental hygiene is praised, waste is severely restricted, tree planting is recommended under any circumstances. A American Indian proverb says that “Only when the last tree has been cut down; Only when the last river has been poisoned; Only when the last fish has been caught; Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten”.

The Prophet Muhammad says in his hadith: “Judgement is close to break your hand if you have a tree sapling and plant it can find times to sew it.”

As you see, we have a belief recommending tree planting even on the judgement day and a civilization based on this belief. Under the leadership of our Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, we have planted approximately 3 billion saplings in the last 11 years. We have planted an area as sizeable as the square of Belgium in the last 4 years.

When we consider this data along with the recent events, it makes a lot more sense. This sensitivity and the steps we have taken show that our government is the most environmentalist government ever in Turkey. Revolutionary projects that our Prime Minister Erdogan has carried out during his term as the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality since 1994 still reflect our government’s sensitivity. Taking office in a time when the water was cut off or muddy water was flowing out, citizens were losing their lives due to the eruption at piles of garbage, and our Prime Minister put an end to this course.

Certainly, we will protect the environment and prevent environmental damage to the end. However, irresponsible and provocative actions that abuse environment-friendly citizens and give themselves the right to terrorize streets under the shadow of those citizens are, before all, a disaster for environment.

Therefore, it is essential to bear in mind and apply “Let’s keep our environment clean” in every area of life.