Climate migration and Turkey's climate migration policy

This thesis aims to evaluate climate change-related migration movements within the framework of politics, particularly in the case of Turkey, through an interdisciplinary approach. Migration movements are accelerating due to the global depletion in water resources, the frequency in natural disasters, and the decline in agricultural productivity. Such environmental pressures have positioned climate change one of the primary causes of forced displacement. Consequently, the concept of 'climate migration' has become one of the most pressing issues today, with significant social, demographic, and political implications. Current legal systems are inadequate in defining individuals who are displaced for environmental reasons, creating a significant gap in policy-making alongside increasing security risks. This study evaluates Turkey's vulnerabilities to climate change, considering its dual role as a transit and destination country. It critically analyzes national migration and development policies through lenses of internal displacement, rural development, and urban integration. In addition, institutional and legal shortcomings are examined from the perspectives of environmental and human security, followed by policy recommendations. The findings suggest that climate migration must be addressed not solely as an environmental issue but as a multidimensional challenge involving governance, human rights, and sustainable development.