Nesw

Chief Ombudsman of Türkiye Mr. Mehmet Akarca and Ombudsman Mr. Özcan Yıldız paid an official visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan upon the invitation of Ombudsman of Uzbekistan, Ms. Feruza Eshmatova, to attend the International Conference on “Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment – Guarantee for the Protection of Human Rights.” The event was organized on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Ombudsman Institution of Uzbekistan on 26-28 February 2025.

Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca stated; “I would like to thank my esteemed colleague, the Ombudsman of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Ms. Feruza Eshmatova, and her team for hosting this Conference and inviting us to Uzbekistan. On this occasion, I would like to congratulate the Ombudsman Institution of Uzbekistan on its 30th anniversary and wish for the conference to be successful and fruitful.”

“Living in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a fundamental human right.”

The Chief Ombudsman expressed “The right to a clean environment is crucial not only for environmental sustainability, but also for safeguarding human rights and securing our future. Climate crisis, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources and a decrease in biodiversity, which are among the major threats facing humanity, directly affect not only the lives of today’s generation but also those of future generations. It was emphasized for the first time at the UN Stockholm Conference in 1972 that individuals have the right to live in a healthy environment. As recognized by the United Nations General Assembly, the right to live in a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a fundamental human right.”

“Ombudsmen play a critical role when it comes to environmental rights.”

Underlining the collective responsibility of states and societies in protecting and promoting rights, Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca highlighted the vital role of Ombudsmen, particularly regarding environmental rights.

The Chief Ombudsman stated; “As Ombudsman Institutions, we must be the voice of society, carefully address complaints about environmental issues and play an active role in resolving these complaints in order to ensure environmental justice and develop effective solutions to environmental challenges. At the same time, informing the public about environmental problems and their solutions, as well as helping individuals and communities adopt more environmentally friendly habits are areas where we can make a significant contribution.”

“The President of Türkiye announced the net zero emissions target of Türkiye for 2053”

Referring to Türkiye’s legal framework regarding the right to a healthy environment, the Chief Ombudsman noted, “Article 56 of the Constitution of the Republic of Türkiye stipulates that everyone has the right to live in a healthy and balanced environment, and that it is the duty of the State and citizens to protect the environmental health and to prevent environmental pollution. To implement the provisions in the Constitution, the “Environment Law” came into force in Türkiye in 1983. The Republic of Türkiye considers leaving a livable environment for the future as a humanitarian and moral responsibility.”

The Chief Ombudsman added: “The Republic of Türkiye actively participates in bilateral cooperation, as well as regional and international initiatives. Türkiye has also become a party to international agreements such as the 1972 Paris Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the 1992 Rio Convention on Biological Diversity. In 2009, Türkiye also became a party to the Kyoto Protocol, which is the first implementation agreement of the Convention. In addition, the President of Türkiye announced the net zero emissions target of Türkiye for 2053. Türkiye's ‘Zero Waste Movement’, launched in 2017, leads the world in using resources efficiently and preventing dissipation by reducing waste generation. Being the first country to sign the ‘Global Zero Waste Declaration of Goodwill’ in 2022 demonstrates our determination.”

“The Ombudsman Institution received 451 applications under the main category of ‘Forestry, Water, Environment, and Urbanization.’”

Chief Ombudsman Mr. Akarca said, “Since its establishment, the Ombudsman Institution of Türkiye has received a total of 241,482 complaint applications and issued 240,679 decisions. In 2024, 451 applications were received under the main heading of ‘Forest, Water, Environment and Urbanization’, 76 of which were related to the subheading of ‘Environmental Pollution’ and 3 of which were related to the subheading of ‘Environmental Impact Assessment Reports.’”

Noting that, in recent years, there has been an increase in the number of complaint applications lodged to the Ombudsman Institution concerning environmental and noise pollution, the Chief Ombudsman said; “Among these applications, the administrations are contacted urgently on issues such as noise, environmental and odor pollution, waste management caused by businesses, and efforts are made to resolve the problem amicably. The most important feature of the right to a healthy environment is that it also concerns future generations.”

Concluding his remarks, the Chief Ombudsman stated; “The right of our citizens to live in a healthy environment is a social responsibility. In order to fulfill this responsibility, cooperation between national human rights institutions, parliament and civil society organizations should be strengthened; we must share our experiences regarding best practices within the scope of international cooperation.”

Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca Had Various Meetings in Uzbekistan

During his visit to Uzbekistan, Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca paid a visit to the Ambassador of Türkiye to the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr. Ufuk Ulutaş, and the Chief Prosecutor of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr. Yuldashev Nigmatilla Tulkinovich.

During the visit, the Chief Ombudsman, together with Ombudsman Mr. Özcan Yıldız, also met with the Consul General of Türkiye to Samarkand, Mr. Salih Caner.

Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca and Ombudsman Mr. Özcan Yıldız participated in the tree-planting event organized in Samarkand by the Ombudsman Institution of Uzbekistan.

In an interview during the program, the Chief Ombudsman stated, “We are responsible for leaving a clean and sustainable environment for future generations. One of the important duties of Ombudsman institutions is to raise public awareness about environmental protection.

Ombudsmen from various countries planted trees together and created an ‘Ombudsman Garden’.