A mediation case for resolving the energy and environment dispute at Aliaga-Izmir, Turkey

Aliaga town, located 50 km north of Izmir, Turkey, is facing serious air, w ater, and soil pollution problems of industrial origin. The town has had a widespread public reaction against the estimated environmental effects of a 500 MW power plant originally to be built by a private international compa ny during the first half of the 1990s. This project was rejected by court o rder at that time, but recently a number of new power projects emerged, and overall environmental burdens had to be reconsidered. A mediation exercise to resolve the ongoing dispute against these power pla nt projects at Aliaga was recommended and participated in by the author in 1997. In this article the basis of the continuing environmental concern abo ut the feared impacts of the new powerplants, procedure, and results of thi s mediation are mentioned. The basis of the "energy versus environment" dis pute in Aliaga are introduced. Mediation exercise and its end results have been criticized.