Evaluation of environmental policy in terms of local government in solution of environmental problems: Sample of Municipality Uşak

Today, environmental problems have become one of the most important issues. Industrialization, increase in population, unplanned urbanization, and environmental problems paralled with technological developments have been increasing each day and affect the livability level of the Earth. Various legislative regulations have been made internationally against emerging environmental problems. However, in Turkey significantly it has been begun to make a stride in constitution, laws, development plans and other legislative regulations for the environment since 1970's. In these legislative regulations forming Turkish environmental policy local adminstrations are charged with important duties, authority and responsibility. The main characteristics of environmental problems is that they emerge with local origin rather than central origin. From this point of view it is a must to begin the solution of environmental problems locally in order to solve the problem before it turns to large size. Thus, duty and responsibility of the local administrations especially municipalities are very important in the solution of environmental problems. At the end of the study environmental policy practices of local administrations in the solution of environmental problems were handled within the framework of Uşak Municipality sample. By explaining primary environmental problems the activities conducted by Uşak University for the environmental problems and policies for protecting the environment were appreciated. Key words; Environment, Environmental problems, Environmental problems, Local administrations, Municipalities