Climate Movements in Turkey: There is a Climate Crisis and Our Home is on Fire

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IPS Communication Foundation / bianet has launched the Climate Journalism Workshop as part of the BİA Workshop.

Elif Ünal and İren Bıçakçı from Extinction Rebellion and Atlas Sarrafoğlu from Fridays for Future Turkey have spoken about the climate crisis and the "new wave climate movements in Turkey" at the workshop.

Saying that the movement in Turkey is not independent of the global movement, Ünal and Bıçakçı told the participants about global climate protests and the school strikes started by Greta Thunberg in Sweden.

Agreements have no power of sanction

They also spoke about the Extinction Rebellion, a global movement founded in the UK, and its the actions of civil disobedience.

"Scientists and activists were aware of the climate crisis but there wasn't a situation where people take to the streets. When people realized the urgency of the situation, they began to say, 'There is a crisis and we must stop our lives and handle this,'" Ünal and Bıçakçı said.

"The previous protocols that were signed did not have the power of sanction. This makes the climate movement unsuccessful.

"Also the Paris Agreement is not enough to reduce carbon emissions. Turkey was the only country that did not sign the agreement. It signed the agreement but it has not been approved in the parliament. Now our demand is the approval of the agreement in the parliament.

"Scientists make more statements on the climate crisis. There is always a failure. This is exactly where the reactions of the new wave climate movement are directed at.

"The reason for it being called the new wave climate movement is that students take to the streets and the increasing actions of civil disobedience."

Climate movements are radical

Ünal and Bıçakçı then gave information about the Extinction Rebellion, Fridays for Future Turkey and Sıfır Gelecek (Zero Future).

"The main characteristic of the new movement is that it is radical. Their discourse is also radical. They say, 'Our home is on fire' and 'Stop your lives and take measures'. The protests are very peaceful.

"We want people to declare a climate emergency in their lives. We are building our lives on the basis of this fact. We must do that."

Saying that they use unusual methods of protest, Ünal noted that they make the following demands:

*Tell the truth

*Zero out carbon emissions

*Ask the citizens

*Approve Paris Agreement in the parliament

11-year-old activist spoke about school strikes

Atlas Sarrafoğlu, an 11-year-old climate activist, spoke about the school strikes for the climate that has been staged in 15 places in nine cities in Turkey so far.

Then a discussion was made about the proposed solutions to the crisis.

Can Tonbil, a journalist and a member of the Extinction Rebellion, spoke about the climate movements in Turkey, the psychological and philosophical background of the climate crisis and the disappearing biodiversity in Turkey.

The event continued with questions by the participants.

(SO/VK)