According to experts, to ensure climate justice, the energy transition must be planned in a way that protects workers and coal regions.
Climate change is not only an environmental issue, but also a social justice issue. Boğaziçi University Climate Change and Policies Application and Research Center Board Member Prof. Dr. Murat Türkeş pointed out that the climate crisis does not affect all segments of society in the same way and said that "climate justice" should be placed at the center of climate policies.
Türkeş stated that the poor, outdoor workers, children, the elderly and people with chronic diseases are more vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis. CAN Europe Türkiye Climate and Energy Policies Coordinator Özlem Katısöz emphasized that the energy transition should be planned to protect employees and local economies in coal regions.
'NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE DO NOT AFFECT EVERYONE EQUALLY'
Increasing temperatures, prolonged heat waves, drought, excessive rainfall and forest fires in Turkey increase the importance of climate change adaptation policies. The social and economic consequences of these developments exacerbate the pressure especially on vulnerable groups.
Prof. Dr. Türkeş stated that the effects of the climate crisis vary according to factors such as income, age, working conditions and health status and said:
"The level of impact of an elderly citizen living in a house without air conditioning is not the same as a person in a high income group. Laborers working in open areas, the poor, children and individuals with chronic diseases are at much higher risk."
Stating that drought and extreme weather events can increase food prices and increase economic pressure, especially on low-income households, Türkeş said that workers working in open areas and in unprotected conditions are among the groups most exposed to heat stress.
1.1 BILLION CHILDREN FACE AT LEAST THREE CLIMATE THREATS
According to the Children's Climate Risks Report published by UNICEF in June 2026, 1.1 billion children worldwide are exposed to at least three overlapping climate hazards. Drought, extreme heat and heat waves constitute the most common triple risk combination, with more than 296 million children simultaneously facing it.
It is stated that the climate crisis directly affects children's education. According to the analysis published by UNICEF in September 2026, the education of more than 171 million students worldwide, that is, approximately one in every 10 students, will be interrupted due to climate-related hazards in 2025. Storms, floods, heat waves, droughts and forest fires; It led to the closure of schools, suspension of classes and disruption of educational processes.
Elderly people are also at higher risk during heat waves and disasters due to factors such as chronic diseases, mobility restrictions and social isolation.
'CLIMATE POLICIES CANNOT BE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT JUST TRANSFORMATION'
According to Türkeş, the fight against climate change should not be limited to reducing greenhouse gas emissions; The social dimension of energy transformation should also be one of the basic elements of policies.
Drawing attention to the importance of proper planning of the coal transition process, Türkeş stated that fair transformation should ensure the transition of employees to new economic areas and made the following statements:
"Leaving a coal worker unemployed when the power plant closes is not climate justice. Retraining and employing the same person in the fields of solar and wind energy, energy efficiency or clean technology is the basis of fair transformation."
CAN Europe Türkiye Climate and Energy Policies Coordinator Özlem Katısöz also said that fair transformation should not be considered only as a plan to exit coal in the future.
According to Katısöz, while the coal sector in Turkey is already shrinking, workers and coal regions bear the economic and social costs of this unplanned decline. It is stated that incentives for companies owning thermal power plants do not alone provide employees with wages, compensation and future security.
Katısöz evaluates the developments, from the struggle of Doruk Maden workers for their unpaid salaries to the failure of Soma Thermal Power Plant to find a buyer, among the indicators of unplanned transformation.
JUST TRANSITION POLICIES FOR COAL REGIONS
In Turkey, preparations for the National Just Transition Strategy are carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. According to the Ministry's statement, the strategy aims to manage the social impacts of climate change and green and digital transformation in a comprehensive manner, and the studies are carried out in 17 sectors and 33 themes. Mining is also among the sectors included in the consultation process.
Katısöz emphasizes that during the preparation of the strategy, workers and households, especially in coal regions where the effects of the transformation are felt today, should be included in the process. According to him, energy transformation should not only be considered as a change in the form of energy production; Employment, loss of income and the future of local economies should also be part of the planning.
SOLUTION: POLICIES THAT CENTER CLIMATE JUSTICE
Türkeş states that public policies regarding the climate crisis should be shaped with a social justice perspective.
Increasing energy efficiency, developing renewable energy investments, a fair exit from coal, effective management of water resources, increasing green areas in cities, preparing hot weather action plans, strengthening early warning systems and creating disaster-resistant cities are among the prominent topics in terms of adaptation to climate change.
Stating that individual behaviors are also a part of this transformation, Türkeş draws attention to the importance of steps such as efficient use of energy and water, preferring public transportation and reducing food waste.
Evaluations of experts reveal that the fight against the climate crisis cannot only focus on reducing emissions. Climate policies also need to protect groups more affected by the crisis and consider the social and economic costs of the energy transition for workers, households and coal regions.
