‘Parties should have common environment policy’

POLITICAL parties should develop a “common environmental policy” the main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) has said. The call was made to coincide with World Environment Day.

“What we have done to our country’s nature and the environment, which in the past was known as the ‘Green Island’ . . . especially in the last 20 years has caused us to perceive World Environment Day as a ‘warning day’,” the statement said.

It stressed the need to “heed the warning before it’s too late” and that the “most important duty of politicians elected by the votes of the people is to take action to create a common environmental policy that will not be altered in the face of changing governments”.

“As CTP, our call to all parties is to create a common environmental policy and implement it together,” the statement continued.

“Let’s stop saying how important the environment is and that it is necessary to protect it. Let’s at least try to achieve with the environment what we could not achieve in education, health, tourism and the economy.

“We should know that we cannot move our society into the future if we cannot switch to planned development and eliminate unplanned construction; increase our forests, protect our natural areas, create sewerage infrastructure and not allow more waste water to be discharged into our seas. As CTP, we are aware of this and are ready to put forth the necessary work.”