A.S. & S.A. & E.N.B v. Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye

During COP29, hosted in Azerbaijan, Turkey announced its 2053 Long-Term Climate Strategy. However, this strategy falls short of aligning with the 1.5 °C target of the Paris Agreement. The plan lacks a clear roadmap for phasing out coal and fails to substantiate emission reduction targets with concrete actions, undermining the urgent fight against the climate crisis. Similarly, Turkey’s 2023 nationally determined contribution (NDC), submitted to the United Nations, has been criticized as inadequate. Youth claimants filed a lawsuit ( A.S. & S.A. & E.N.B v. Presidency of Türkiye & The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change) with the Council of State in 2023, arguing that Turkey’s climate policies fail to protect the rights of children and young people. After the court rejected their initial claim, the plaintiffs filed a new lawsuit. The new case challenges Turkey's NDC and the new strategy. The plaintiffs assert that Turkey’s climate policies and strategies neglect the need for a just energy transition and fall short of consistent emission reductions. The claim emphasizes that the inadequacy of Turkey’s climate response poses direct risks to human rights, particularly for future generations, and demands stronger commitments to phase out fossil fuels and align with international climate goals.