Political ecology of small hydraulic power plant constructions in the province of Rize

Abstract

Hundreds of small hydraulic power plants (SHPPs) in different regions of Turkey have been under construction. However, local people are opposing to these constructions in some regions, especially through judiciary means. The government aims to make legal amendments in order to change the legal basis enjoyed by the opposition until now. These events manifest that SHPPs refer to a case of politicized environment. Relying on a political ecologic perspective, the study defined the issue of SHPPs in Rize as an ecological distribution conflict between different social actors having distinct material interests. To test this hypothesis, this study investigated the state’s policy of SHPPs and the opposition against it, focusing on three valleys in Rize. The research helped to identify the related actors, their motives and strategies. Grassroots actors aimed to defend their livelihood interests that depend on the sustainability of stream ecosystems. Environmental non-governmental organizations supported the cause of grassroots actors from a moral and environmentalist position. The state was driven by a developmentalist and neo-liberal motivation to increase domestic electricity generation capacity by promoting business investments in SHPPs. Although the state is the pivotal actor in this conflict, each actor has its own strengths enabling it to exert power over its opponents.