Environment

Especially since the political and economic refonus of the 19805, the Turkish economy has largely followed a steep growTh trajectory (Keyman and 6ni~,2007). ) As obsen;ed in many developing countries with similar conditions, economic development in Turkey has had a severely un£,- vorable impact on environmental processes and outcomes. As the (over)use of natural resources expanded and intensified-as evinced by Turkey's depleted mineral wealth, the explosive growth of tourism facilities panicularly in coastal areas, and the dramatic decline in forest quality and quantity-the exponential gro\vth of consumption and the accompanying pollution has seriously degraded ecosystems' ability to cope with the side effects of economic progress. The cumulative effects of these twin processes have now reached a point where they not only stand to trigger serious social conflict, but also undem1ine the potential for continued economic growth in the long reml. This chapter has two main goals: to provide a general overview of this massively important process of environmental change, and to develop a framework in which to understand its roO( causes.

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