Saving Turkey from coal

Despite great potential, solar contributes to almost none of Turkey’s energy production. Photo: J Brew / flickr.com / CC BY-SA

Turkey should stop the construction of new coal- and lignite-fired power stations and start phasing out the existing ones, says Greenpeace Mediterranean.

Emissions of air pollutants from the nineteen large coal- and lignite-fired power plants in operation in Turkey in 2010 are estimated to have caused approximately 7,900 premature deaths and some 1.7 million lost working days in that same year.

These figures come from a new study by Greenpeace Mediterranean, which also includes estimates of the health impacts that would result if Turkey proceeds with building the 42 new power plants that were under construction or planned in 2010. By the time the study was finalised, in August 2014, the number of new coal- and lignite-fired power plants under construction or at the planning stage had actually increased to around 80.

Turkey should stop the construction of new coal- and lignite-fired power stations and start phasing out the existing ones, says Greenpeace Mediterranean.

Poor air quality is a big problem in Turkey. The levels of particulate matter (PM) in the twelve Turkish cities for which the World Health Organization (WHO) has such information, exceed the levels recommended by WHO for health protection by at least three times.

While Turkish power plants are extremely dirty compared to the rest of Europe, the authors of the report conclude that requiring improved end-of-pipe emissions is not enough, and that there is no such thing as “clean coal” – even if new plants are built according to EU emission standards they will still emit large amounts of air pollution and the main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Instead it is recommended that fossil-fuelled power plants are phased out, starting with the oldest and dirtiest ones, and replaced by renewable sources of energy. It is noted that Turkey has one of the biggest wind, solar and geothermal power capacities in Europe, but currently only four per cent of the country’s installed power comes from wind, and zero from solar or geothermal.

Such a transition to clean sources of energy, in combination with improved energy efficiency, is necessary both to fight global climate change and to ensure clean air and a healthy society.

Christer Ågren

The report: Silent Killers: Why Turkey Must Replace Coal Power Projects With Green Energy (August 2014). By L. Myllyvirta. Published by Greenpeace Mediterranean.

In this issue

Air pollution still harms ecosystems

While acidification has been greatly reduced since its peak in 1980, emissions of nitrogen-containing air pollutants continue to damage more than half of sensitive ecosystems.

Editorial: Protect people and nature from air pollution

Since their peak around thirty years ago, emissions of air pollutants in Europe have come down significantly. Tougher emission standards for industry and road vehicles have resulted in less polluting power plants and cars.

Continued succes for renewables

Denmark got 41 per cent of its power from the wind in the first six months of 2014. Renewables are advancing all over Europe.

Saving Turkey from coal

Turkey should stop the construction of new coal- and lignite-fired power stations and start phasing out the existing ones, says Greenpeace Mediterranean.

A fair share of climate responsibility

Annex 1 countries need to have negative emissions of 441 GtCO₂ by 2050, according to a new equity proposal from several Latin American countries.

Lignite power provides bargain-priced pollution

Combustion of lignite is one of the environmentally worst ways to generate energy. Even so, there is a continued increase in many parts of Europe.

Proposal for coal phase-out in Germany

BUND, a German environmental organisation, suggests a legally binding law to close all coal power stations by 2030.

Emissions are falling – but not enough

While emissions of acidifying sulphur pollutants in the EU have come down by 84 per cent since 1990, those of nitrogen compounds have fallen only by 41 per cent.

UK brought to court on bad air quality

New figures from the UK government show air quality in some of the country’s biggest cities will not meet European Union pollution limits until after 2030, twenty years after the original deadline.

Sustainable food choices

Excluding meat from our diet is not enough on its own to benefit the climate. Eating a lot of cheese or simply eating a lot of everything also leads to high greenhouse gas emissions.

New figures on global ship emissions

In 2012 worldwide shipping consumed some 300 million tonnes of fuel oil, resulting in emissions of 949 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Unless concerted action is taken, these emissions are expected to grow by up to five times by 2050.

US to cut CO2 from existing power plants

By 2030, the CPP proposal should reduce CO₂ emissions from the power sector by 30 per cent nationwide, compared to 2005 levels, and provide up to US$93 billion in climate and public health benefits

Carbon dioxide concentration surges

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased last year at the fastest rate for nearly 30 years, according to the latest data from the WMO.

EU’s Dirty thirty

The thirty most CO₂-polluting power plants in Europe also cause 20 per cent of the health costs of the sector.

Main menu

Saving Turkey from coal

In this issue

Air pollution still harms ecosystems

Editorial: Protect people and nature from air pollution

Continued succes for renewables

Saving Turkey from coal

A fair share of climate responsibility

Lignite power provides bargain-priced pollution

Proposal for coal phase-out in Germany

Emissions are falling – but not enough

UK brought to court on bad air quality

Sustainable food choices

New figures on global ship emissions

US to cut CO2 from existing power plants

Carbon dioxide concentration surges

EU’s Dirty thirty

Publications

Food for Thought

Northern forests, climate change and the UNFCCC

EU climate targets aligned with the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C objective

Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Collaborative-Learning project

Air pollution in Europe and children’s health

Climate Change: A Himalayan Odessey

No further discussion needed. The agreed global goal is to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C

Fossil-free electricity 2021

What we do

Air pollution

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