Black Clouds Looming - How Turkey's coal spree is threatening local economies on the Black Sea

Since 2009 Turkey has experienced a boom in the construction of coal-fired power plants in response to growing energy demand, increasing gas prices and its abundant coal reserves. Based on a field trip to the Black Sea, this report finds that while environmental impacts of coal power plants are only inadequately assessed, alternatives to coal are neither analysed nor discussed at the policy or project levels. National authorities show a disregard of public concerns and offer only limited access to information for the public. At the same time, the involvement of international financial institutions lacks a strategy to address the challenges facing the Turkish energy mix.