Environmental activists in Türkiye have declared a “victory for the people” after the expansion of the country’s largest coal-fired power plant was struck down by a court ruling.
Local residents joined Greenpeace Türkiye in fighting the construction of two additional units at the Afşin-Elbistan A Thermal Power Plant in the southeastern Kahramanmaraş Province.
Their lawsuit complained of the potential impacts of the expansion on human health, agricultural lands, water resources and local ecosystems.
Last week (8 July), the court revoked the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) granted to the project in late 2024, concluding that “the potential negative environmental impacts of the project cannot be demonstrated to be at acceptable levels”.
“For years, we have been fighting for clean air, fertile land, and the future of our children. This court decision is a victory for the people of Afşin and Elbistan,” says Mehmet Dalkanat from the Afşin Elbistan Life and Nature Protection Platform, which fought alongside Greenpeace.
