The formation and consolidation of the environmental security norm in the European Union and its diffusion in Türkiye

In this thesis, the emergence and internationalisation of the environmental norm is examined theoretically and it is aimed to analyse the development of the environmental norm in the European Union and the role of the Union in the diffusion of this norm. The diffusion of the norm is tested with the case of Türkiye. The environmental norm, which includes the norms of ecological modernisation, sustainable development and environmental security, is examined in the context of the Normative Theory developed by Ian Manners and the European Union is taken as a basis. Kathryn Sikkink's conceptualisations of the norm are also used in the thesis. The environmental security norm is analysed conceptually and the literature on the norm-security dilemma is reviewed. In the literature review, the way in which the concepts of environment and security are handled is included. The findings show that the literature in this context is divided into four: sources that prioritise the norm, sources that argue that the norm is instrumentalised in the context of economic security, sources that argue that the norm is instrumentalised in the political and institutional context, sources that deal with the norm within "Security Studies". In this thesis, the EU's instrumentalisation of the environmental norm in economic, political and institutional contexts has been identified and a contribution has been made to these sections of the literature. Organised in 1972, the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was a milestone in the emergence of environmental policy and environmental norms, and the international developments after this date have complemented each other. Since the 1987 Single European Act included environmental policy in the main policy areas of the EU, the institutions established, documents prepared, laws enacted and decisions taken in and after 1987 are mostly discussed. The institutional and legal development of the European Union's environmental policy, environmental policy instruments and current climate targets have been analysed and the leading role of the Union in environmental policy has been determined. In the light of the researches and findings, it is seen that the EU has popularised the environmental norm on candidate and member countries. By testing with the case of Türkiye, it has been determined that the EU uses various policy instruments such as environmental action programmes, environmental education, NGOs, EU Acquis, LIFE financial support programme in this process. It has been seen that similar institutions have been established in the EU and Türkiye in the same time period regarding environmental policy and it has been concluded that integration in all sectors should be ensured for a sustainable environmental policy.