Sabancı Holding: Climate Partner or Environmental Threat to the Aegean?

Sabancı Holding sponsors COP31 while its energy projects face backlash for cutting down thousands of trees in the Aegean. Is this greenwashing?

As Sabancı Holding prepares to take the stage as a key partner at the COP31 Climate Summit in Antalya, local environmentalists across the Aegean are highlighting a bitter irony: the corporate giant’s energy projects have led to the destruction of tens of thousands of trees in some of Turkey’s most precious ecosystems.

Having lived in the Didim and Akbük area for two decades, I’ve seen many changes, but the scale of industrial energy expansion currently threatening our neighboring regions is truly unprecedented. Sabancı Holding has been named the “Electrification Partner” for the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31). While the company plans to speak on “sustainability” and “green transformation,” their subsidiary, Enerjisa, is under fire for projects spanning from the Kazdağları mountains to the ancient landscapes of Latmos.

The Massive Toll on Kazdağları: 14,000 Trees at Risk

One of the most significant controversies involves the Ihlamur Wind Energy Power Plant (RES), situated between Çanakkale and Balıkesir. This area is part of the vital Kazdağları ecosystem. Reports indicate that out of a nearly 3,000-hectare project site, over 2,600 hectares consist of pristine forest land. The project aims to install 18 turbines, which would necessitate the felling of approximately 14,029 trees—including oak, beech, and black pine. For those of us who cherish the natural beauty of Western Turkey, these figures are staggering.

Local Resistance in Çeşme

The push for renewable energy is also hitting closer to home in coastal towns like Çeşme. Enerjisa planned to install over 18,000 solar panels in the Çakabey neighborhood. However, the local community has stood firm. Residents argue that their voices were ignored during the planning phases. Public participation meetings were effectively blocked by local protests, proving that the expat and local communities alike are no longer willing to accept industrial projects without a fight.

Threatening the Ancient Heritage of Latmos

Perhaps most concerning for those of us near Akbük is the expansion into the Latmos (Beşparmak) Mountains. Known for its 8,000-year-old rock paintings and unique rock formations, Latmos is a global heritage site. Despite previous court cancellations of their permits, Enerjisa has initiated a new environmental impact process. To connect their wind turbines to the national grid, 105 pylons are planned, which would require cutting down 7,827 trees across protected forest and agricultural lands in Milas and Karpuzlu.

Muğla: 15,000 Trees Already Lost

In Muğla, the Gaia Wind Energy project serves as a cautionary tale. Although the Council of State previously cancelled the project’s environmental approval due to inadequate studies on local flora and bird populations, the mechanical installation of 20 turbines has reportedly been completed anyway. The cost of this development? A documented 14,945 trees have already been cleared for roads and turbine platforms. As we look toward the COP31 summit in November, many are asking if “green energy” should really come at such a high cost to our local forests.

Yazar: Jonathan