Inter-city cooperation and city diplomacy: A research on municipalities in Turkey

City diplomacy has become a phenomenon that has gained momentum since 1980 with the effect of globalization and the increase in interest to local. Local governments carry out city diplomacy in line with local foreign policies and contribute to global peace and the solution of problems by providing intercity solidarity to represent the interests and policies of the cities in the international arena. Collaborations are established between cities that share similar city problems in order to solve problems and increase the quality of life. Cooperation is an important tool in the field of city diplomacy in order to provide information and experience transfer between cities, to use resources in an integrated manner, to increase value. The alliances that cities form regionally, nationally and across borders strengthen the cooperation between cities. In this context, the aim of the thesis study is to reveal the potential roles of cities in the field of diplomacy while forming the conceptual framework of city diplomacy and to analyze the situation of cities in Turkey in the field of city diplomacy within the scope of environmental problems. In the creation of the study, a case study was carried out using the qualitative research method. As a result, with this thesis, a conceptual view of city diplomacy was provided; the development of city diplomacy, its application tools and forms, and Turkey's activities in the area of city diplomacy in the face of environmental problems due to urbanization have been examined with examples. Keywords: City Diplomacy, Cooperation, Environment, Municipality, Turkey