Development of National Action Plan to Address Pollution from Land Based Activities in Turkey

Abstract

Countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea signed the Barcelona Convention (1976) and Bucharest Convention (1992) respectively and Turkey is the one of the contracting parties for both of them. In this content, they formed the ``Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP){''} and ``Black Sea Environment Programme{''} to control water pollution in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, respectively. To achieve this goal, each region formed their Land Based Sources Strategic Action Programme (LBS SAP) in the second part of the 1990s within the framework of the Land Based Sources Protocols (LBS Protocol) which are sub protocols of the Barcelona Convention and Bucharest Convention. These programmes define the major land based environmental problems and proposed solutions to the problems and set the deadlines to perform the necessary tasks. In the line with LBS SAP's, Mediterranean countries have been already developed their ``National Action Plan's for Land Based Sources (LBS NAP) in 2005. Within the framework of the LBS NAP development study in Turkey, detailed investigations were carried out on region and basin basis relating to the land based pollutants. In the context of the project the land based activities in the 19 river basins, which are chosen according to the SHW (State Hydraulic Works) drainage areas were evaluated. LBS Pollution sourced from industry, residential areas, agricultural activities, ports, and transportation and tourism activities has been determined. The coastal river basins have been assessed in terms of environmental risks and environmental priorities and an action plan involved supporting tools for the action plan, measures to control investment portfolio and economical instruments has been developed by TUBITAK MRC under the coordination of Ministry of Environment and Forestry.