- Katılım
- Ocak 16, 2025
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Associate Prof. Yelda Erçandarlı - Leeds University
At 04.17 on 6 February 2023, with a strange rumble that we had never heard before, we were trying to understand the intensity of the earthquake and its effects, but we did not expect that about 60,000 people would die based on official data. Yes, the earthquake was extremely strong and prolonged for those of us on the ninth floor, and when we had the opportunity to go downstairs, we guessed that the earthquake was over 7, as those who also experienced the 1998 Ceyhan earthquake, but we realised that our buildings were ‘so’ flimsy when we heard that luxury apartment buildings two or three streets away had collapsed. I think the earthquakes of 6 February became the symbol of the saying ‘Buildings kill, not earthquakes’. The reason why the buildings are so unsturdy is, of course, profit, the owners and the government that approves or protects the owner.
Since 6 February, it has already been stated by many people and institutions that natural events, which do not cause such damage in other regions, have been turned into disasters with the current policies, where science and public interest are disregarded for pure selfish interests. There is another issue that we do not talk in this period, perhaps we have forgotten it because of the circumstances we are in: Climate Change
There is a myth among the people in the Çukurova region that an earthquake may occur when the weather is above seasonal norms but still cloudy. This myth is rooted in the teachings of Aristotales. In 4th century BC, it was believed that earthquakes were triggered by winds escaping from underground caves, turning the air on the earth's surface warmer but cloudy. Today, studies show that this myth has no basis in fact. However, in parallel with the Anthropocene discussions that indicate drastic changes in the earth's parameters in recent years, scientists are also investigating whether there may be a link between earthquakes and climate change, and whether climate change will increase the intensity or frequency of earthquakes.
First of all, we are sure that mismanagement of the effects of the earthquake will cause environmental pollution. Although pollution may lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the long run, we should not associate pollution with climate change, which is the most obvious indicator of the ecological destruction we are experiencing, and the shift in the earth's parameters. No matter whether you call it the Anthropocene or define it differently, the fact that the earth's parameters are changing indicates not only a much warmer world, but also a much more vulnerable world, a world that is unpredictable but certain not to be good. That's why geophysicist Paul Lundgren of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California says that climate-related stress shifts could drive the occurrence of an earthquake, but further data are needed for a conclusive statement. Recent research at Colorado State University also suggests that seismic activity may become more frequent along faults as glacial melting continues and water levels rise as a result of climate change.
Although it may seem like a minor phenomenon for the planet's surface to experience stress caused by glacial melting in Greenland and Antarctica and rising sea levels at polar regions, scientists believe that the massive changes in the earth's parameters might have major unintended and unexpected consequences.
∗∗∗
Since climate change is still a new phenomenon, research is still immature. However, if more scientific data are collected, it will show the fact that both the consequences and the causes of the earthquake are embedded in the social, i.e. class relations, and a phenomenon that seems to be purely natural is actually not ‘natural’. Of course, my intention here is not to emphasise Bruno Latour-style that ‘nothing is natural anymore’ or that we live in a ‘hybrid’ world. My intention here is to talk about the effects of climate change at a time when we are experiencing the consequences of the earthquake in the most severe way because no measures and precautions were taken despite all the warnings of scientists.
The area of 6 February earthquakes includes Çukurova (Hatay, Osmaniye, Adana). According to scientific research, Çukurova is one of the regions that will be most affected and suffered the most damage due to climate change. Especially in recent years, the rapid spread of wildfires in Iskenderun and Osmaniye has been fuelled by drought and wind, which have increased as a result of climate change. Similarly, the massive ice flakes that rained on Adana in April 2023 should have been analysed by climate scientists. Instead of waiting for extreme weather events to occur, it is necessary to investigate how much of the economic activities in the region are in line with the characteristics of the geography and, first of all, political-legal arrangements should be made in order to abandon the development-urbanisation policies based on profit, putting nature and people second.
∗∗∗
While the region in question is so vulnerable to climate change, how could cutting down olive trees in Hatay, a city already severely damaged by the earthquake, benefit the people of the city and the ecological balance? How can importing waste from Europe to Çukurova, a region already struggling with high temperatures and humidity levels, and failing to dispose of it in a way that is environmentally compatible, cause damage to human health, agriculture and ecosystems? If climate change has a stronger relationship with the frequency and severity of earthquakes, as scientists will clarify in the coming years - in a world that has exceeded the 1.5 degree warming threshold - this will also mean that the effects of earthquakes will intensify. How will we survive in a system based on profit and self-interest? Of course, one of the things to be done here is not to rely on geoengineering practices. The impact of earthquakes can be reduced by using technology, and technological methods should definitely be applied in an earthquake-resistant urbanisation but dominating nature with technology is not our option in the face of climate change. Not just in Turkey, but in all countries integrated into capitalism, those in power prioritise green economies, green new orders, green transformations with projects visible as extensions of the commodification and marketisation of ecosystems over confronting the ecological and climate catastrophe. The green economy, instead of restoring ecosystems and finding solutions to the climate crisis, worsens socio-ecological conditions and adds a new dimension to the orbit of capital. While the causes and consequences of climate change are global, there are many actions we can take locally. We have no choice but to produce in line with the laws of nature and use technology for the social good to minimise the effects of both earthquakes and climate change.
Note: This text has been translated from İklim değişikliği ve depremlerin politik ekolojisi article published in BirGün newspaper on 6 February, 2025.
At 04.17 on 6 February 2023, with a strange rumble that we had never heard before, we were trying to understand the intensity of the earthquake and its effects, but we did not expect that about 60,000 people would die based on official data. Yes, the earthquake was extremely strong and prolonged for those of us on the ninth floor, and when we had the opportunity to go downstairs, we guessed that the earthquake was over 7, as those who also experienced the 1998 Ceyhan earthquake, but we realised that our buildings were ‘so’ flimsy when we heard that luxury apartment buildings two or three streets away had collapsed. I think the earthquakes of 6 February became the symbol of the saying ‘Buildings kill, not earthquakes’. The reason why the buildings are so unsturdy is, of course, profit, the owners and the government that approves or protects the owner.
Since 6 February, it has already been stated by many people and institutions that natural events, which do not cause such damage in other regions, have been turned into disasters with the current policies, where science and public interest are disregarded for pure selfish interests. There is another issue that we do not talk in this period, perhaps we have forgotten it because of the circumstances we are in: Climate Change
There is a myth among the people in the Çukurova region that an earthquake may occur when the weather is above seasonal norms but still cloudy. This myth is rooted in the teachings of Aristotales. In 4th century BC, it was believed that earthquakes were triggered by winds escaping from underground caves, turning the air on the earth's surface warmer but cloudy. Today, studies show that this myth has no basis in fact. However, in parallel with the Anthropocene discussions that indicate drastic changes in the earth's parameters in recent years, scientists are also investigating whether there may be a link between earthquakes and climate change, and whether climate change will increase the intensity or frequency of earthquakes.
First of all, we are sure that mismanagement of the effects of the earthquake will cause environmental pollution. Although pollution may lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the long run, we should not associate pollution with climate change, which is the most obvious indicator of the ecological destruction we are experiencing, and the shift in the earth's parameters. No matter whether you call it the Anthropocene or define it differently, the fact that the earth's parameters are changing indicates not only a much warmer world, but also a much more vulnerable world, a world that is unpredictable but certain not to be good. That's why geophysicist Paul Lundgren of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California says that climate-related stress shifts could drive the occurrence of an earthquake, but further data are needed for a conclusive statement. Recent research at Colorado State University also suggests that seismic activity may become more frequent along faults as glacial melting continues and water levels rise as a result of climate change.
Although it may seem like a minor phenomenon for the planet's surface to experience stress caused by glacial melting in Greenland and Antarctica and rising sea levels at polar regions, scientists believe that the massive changes in the earth's parameters might have major unintended and unexpected consequences.
∗∗∗
Since climate change is still a new phenomenon, research is still immature. However, if more scientific data are collected, it will show the fact that both the consequences and the causes of the earthquake are embedded in the social, i.e. class relations, and a phenomenon that seems to be purely natural is actually not ‘natural’. Of course, my intention here is not to emphasise Bruno Latour-style that ‘nothing is natural anymore’ or that we live in a ‘hybrid’ world. My intention here is to talk about the effects of climate change at a time when we are experiencing the consequences of the earthquake in the most severe way because no measures and precautions were taken despite all the warnings of scientists.
The area of 6 February earthquakes includes Çukurova (Hatay, Osmaniye, Adana). According to scientific research, Çukurova is one of the regions that will be most affected and suffered the most damage due to climate change. Especially in recent years, the rapid spread of wildfires in Iskenderun and Osmaniye has been fuelled by drought and wind, which have increased as a result of climate change. Similarly, the massive ice flakes that rained on Adana in April 2023 should have been analysed by climate scientists. Instead of waiting for extreme weather events to occur, it is necessary to investigate how much of the economic activities in the region are in line with the characteristics of the geography and, first of all, political-legal arrangements should be made in order to abandon the development-urbanisation policies based on profit, putting nature and people second.
∗∗∗
While the region in question is so vulnerable to climate change, how could cutting down olive trees in Hatay, a city already severely damaged by the earthquake, benefit the people of the city and the ecological balance? How can importing waste from Europe to Çukurova, a region already struggling with high temperatures and humidity levels, and failing to dispose of it in a way that is environmentally compatible, cause damage to human health, agriculture and ecosystems? If climate change has a stronger relationship with the frequency and severity of earthquakes, as scientists will clarify in the coming years - in a world that has exceeded the 1.5 degree warming threshold - this will also mean that the effects of earthquakes will intensify. How will we survive in a system based on profit and self-interest? Of course, one of the things to be done here is not to rely on geoengineering practices. The impact of earthquakes can be reduced by using technology, and technological methods should definitely be applied in an earthquake-resistant urbanisation but dominating nature with technology is not our option in the face of climate change. Not just in Turkey, but in all countries integrated into capitalism, those in power prioritise green economies, green new orders, green transformations with projects visible as extensions of the commodification and marketisation of ecosystems over confronting the ecological and climate catastrophe. The green economy, instead of restoring ecosystems and finding solutions to the climate crisis, worsens socio-ecological conditions and adds a new dimension to the orbit of capital. While the causes and consequences of climate change are global, there are many actions we can take locally. We have no choice but to produce in line with the laws of nature and use technology for the social good to minimise the effects of both earthquakes and climate change.
Note: This text has been translated from İklim değişikliği ve depremlerin politik ekolojisi article published in BirGün newspaper on 6 February, 2025.