Ministry of Environment and Urbanism

Under The Ministry of Environment and Urbanism, General Directorate of Spatial Planning, there has been established a department on integrated coastal zone management and planning responsible for integrated coastal zone management and planning at national level. This department produces Integrated Coastal Zone Plans at NUTS-2 and NUTS-3 Level. Integrated Coastal Zone Plans, that are prepared or have done and then approved by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanism, are being prepared in harmony with ICZM Protocol of the Barcelona Convention although Türkiye is not a party to the Protocol. The plans are prepared according to the core structure, vision and principles of Barcelona Convention and its Protocols. In Türkiye, the basic principles and procedures regarding planning and construction processes in all urban and rural settlement areas are regulated by Zoning Law Numbered 3194 while the implementations regarding planning and construction processes in coasts of sea, natural/artificial lake and rivers are regulated by Coastal Law Numbered 3621 and its implementation legislation.In addition, a specific legislation for integrated coastal zone management doesn’t exist yet. The coastal zones management plans are prepared and approved according to Turkish Coastal Law Numbered 3621. On the other hand, Ministry of Environment and Urbanism has been established based on the statutory decree numbered 644 which is about the authority, responsibilities and duties of the Ministry of Environment and Urbanism published in the Official Gazette on 04.07.2011. In the statutory decree, Article 7 indicates that the Ministry is responsible for conducting the studies on integrated coastal zone management and planning (ICZM). In year 2014, Regulation of Making Spatial Plans has been announced and conducted with the official gazette numbered 29030 and dated 14.06.2014. This Regulation has defined the hierarchy among plans in Türkiye in order to eliminate the conflict in the planning system. Besides, with this Regulation, the procedures of the Integrated Coastal Zone Plans have been legally defined in detail. These plans are not stated in the spatial planning hierarchy. These plans are prepared with a strategic approach for coastal areas and their hinterlands and guide the zoning plans. These plans are prepared in a participatory approach with considering all related stakeholders and public society in all stages of the Plan. After the approval of the Plan, Plan decisions promote a governance model in order to facilitate the implementation of the Plan. Türkiye gives utmost importance to develop a new approach in the coastal zone planning and implementation, an integrated comprehensive strategy rather than separate and unrelated decisions, a strategic decision making system intended to solve the problems while including the implementation and management stages of the physical planning, as well as to ensure a protection-usage balance for the coastal zones.Within this respect, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanism carries out the planning work on protection, usage and construction at each scale in coastal, landfills, coastline and the hinterland where facilities take place. Furthermore, with reference to Coastal Law Numbered 3621 and related legislation, The Ministry makes both the zoning (development) plans aiming filling in the coastal areas and implements these plans with taking all the measures for monitoring coastal areas. Addition to this, based on the statutory decree numbered 644, the Ministry is responsible for making integrated coastal zone management and planning studies, arranging coastal areas and making, approving geological and geotechnical studies in these areas, determining approving and ensuring registration of shoreline.From this perspective, the Turkish Government has been carrying out Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Planning studies since 2007. The “Integrated Coastal Zone Plans (ICZP)” covering approximately 80 percent of coastal areas of Türkiye were completed by the end of year 2017.In Türkiye, Integrated Coastal Zone Plan is a strategic plan prepared with an integrative approach guiding all development plan decisions and providing inputs for territorial development plans. These Plans can be classified as Plans that combines strategies and decisions of plans orienting land-use and construction and thematic/sectoral plans and strategy documents.The Plan is a roadmap that aims to prepare the coastal zone planning process with guiding all planning and implementation period for coastal zone and its hinterland, managing different sectors in coastal zone with a protecting vision and developing coordination among institutions in a strategic planning approach that covers spatial goals and strategies and in coordination with related institutions and organizations.It shouldn’t be considered as a physical plan. It aims to develop cooperation among institutions and planning process, principles and strategies of the coastal zones. It has been prepared based on principles and strategies defined after a detailed analysis and synthesis period on coastal and marine side. To execute decision and strategies regarding coastal and marine side of the coastal edge line is under the responsibility of authorities, the strategies regarding shoreline and land side is guidance for practices of related authorities.The Plans are being prepared within approximately 1 year in cooperation with related central and local authorities such as Ministry of Transport, Maritime and Communications, Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Science, Technology and Industry, Municipalities, Trade Unions, Universities, NGOs, Military Services, Private Sector, Investors, civil society, etc. All the documents related to the Integrated Coastal Zone Planning studies by our Ministry can be found in the internet address