Environment policies in Ak Parti Period: An evaluation in the context of consevative thought(2003-2016)

Conservatism has emerged as an ideology which elicits the change and has begun in the end of the 18th century in Europe. While its past in Turkey leads back to the Ottoman Era, consolidated its place in political sense with such establishments as Demokrat Parti (DP) and Anavatan Partisi (ANAP). Nowadays, AK Parti recesses the ideology in its base by defining themselves as Conservatist Democrat, too. Some kinds of communities are revealed when it comes to examine the relation of Conservatism to the environment as well. Between these communities that head the desire of conserving, it has not been difficult to interrelate these two thoughts with the presence of the subtexts such as the skepticism towards science and progress, and the anxiety towards the unavailable generations. AK Parti, which acceded in 2002, has been considered with the conservatist party identity, and its practices about the environment, initially the election manifestoes, government programs and progress reports, have been evaluated surrounding this ideology. Besides, with the orientation of the environment policies that may be suggested or have been suggested within the adaptation process to European Union (EU), the planning and implementation of these policies and the environmental projects foreseen for the future are examined regarding whether the party should act with a conservatist democrat identity or not. Key Words: Conservatism, Ideology, Environment, AK Party, EU.