Approaches to sustainable development for Turkey in the participation process to EU

The concept of environment which has become intertwined with the concept of threat, has gained priority in both domestic and foreign policies of states. Although environment used to be discussed only in terms of biological environment in the past, today as a result of the diversification of threat perceptions, economic and military dimensions have been added to the concept of environment. In fact this broadening of the concept was necessary. Because especially environmental problems have begun to show limitless effects on individuals, states and all around the globe. At the same time, the concept of sustainability has emerged and has begun to gain momentum both in the sustainability of environment and the sustainability of nation-states. States and communities now tend to develop common policies on environment and sustainable development. European Union is one of the communities that pay special attention to this issue. Although there are discrepancies, foreign policies of member states have plenty of similarities about the environment. The aim of this study is to examine undeniable existence of the environment in sustainable development and to handle sustainable development approaches and policies of Turkey getting closer to the European Union. Key Words: environment, sustainable developmen