From January to November 2024, 18 projects were developed in Dersim, covering mining, solar energy plants (GES), fishing, and livestock activities. Among these, nine were granted a “No Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Required” decision. The approved projects include three mining operations and one solar energy project.
Additionally, three other solar energy projects and a capacity expansion project for the hydroelectric power plant (HES) on Çemişgezek’s Tağar Creek are awaiting decisions from the Review and Evaluation Board. Of the 18 proposed projects, seven are GES, three involve I., II., and V. Group Mines, two pertain to petroleum, natural gas, and III. and IV. Group Mines, and one is a HES project.
Mining Plans in Munzur Basin
Lawyer Barış Yıldırım, a member of the Environmental and Urban Law Commission of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB), shared details about the projects planned for Dersim. He revealed that mining activities are planned in the Munzur Basin across an area of 43,350.87 hectares, targeting Group IV resources such as gold, copper, silver, and molybdenum.
BERN Convention
“Based on information obtained from our applications, there are over 145 mining projects planned in our region. The areas targeted by these projects are designated as strictly protected under the provisions of the BERN Convention, to which Türkiye is a party,” said Yıldırım. He further evaluated the projects, stating:
“According to Law No. 2872 on Environmental Protection and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulation—particularly the criteria outlined in Appendix-5 of the EIA Regulation—our province is classified as a sensitive area. These protected areas, safeguarded by international conventions and national legislation, include national parks, natural and archaeological sites, protected habitats, wetlands, agricultural and pasture lands, as well as forested regions.”
Lawyer Barış Yıldırım emphasized that decisions granting "No Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Required" for protected areas are not lawful. He warned that the extensive project activities in the region could cause irreparable damage to the ecosystem:
“In our province and across the country, decisions regarding projects and activities often disregard the criteria for sensitive areas. This is a clear violation of the law. These regions are home to rare species like wild goats, bezoar ibex, Caucasian grouse, otters, bears, and wolves, as well as 2,250 different flora species. Considering that one-fifth of these plant species are endemic, granting ‘No EIA Required’ or ‘Positive EIA’ decisions for these projects is an obvious breach of regulations. Protecting sensitive areas is not only a legal obligation but also essential for the sustainability of the ecosystem.”
The Munzur ecosystem
Yıldırım pointed out significant gaps in the flora and fauna information provided in EIA applications and project introduction files related to the region.
He noted that the introduction file for the Çemişgezek regulator and hydroelectric power plant (HES) project on Tağar Creek failed to mention wild goats and otters, even though these species are protected under the Bern Convention. Similarly, the application file for the chromite mining project in the Munzur Mountains overlooked the presence of local wildlife species.
Finally, Yıldırım advocated for including the Munzur ecosystem in the World Heritage List:
“This region fully meets the criteria of the Bern Convention and the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. However, projects are being approved without regard for international agreements or protection statuses. This not only violates the law but also jeopardizes the sustainability of the ecosystem,” he stated. (DK/TY/VK)