- The International New Issues in Social Sciences
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- The Relationship Between Ecological Threats and Human Development: The Case of Türkiye
The Relationship Between Ecological Threats and Human Development: The Case of Türkiye
Authors : Mehmet Yorulmaz
Pages : 189-206
View : 34 | Download : 638
Publication Date : 2025-12-27
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :Abstract This study aims to examine Türkiye’s ecological threat level over time and situate it within the global context using data from the Institute for Economics & Peace’s Ecological Threat Report (ETR – a composite index that scores countries from 1 to 5 on food security, water risk, natural disaster impact, and demographic pressure, then aggregates these into a single ecological threat score). The analysis covers the period 2020–2024. Annual total and domain-specific ETR scores for Türkiye are extracted from the appendix tables of the ETR reports, while global average ETR scores are calculated for each year using all listed countries. Descriptive statistics and simple time-trend analysis are employed to compare year-to-year changes in Türkiye’s ETR score with changes in the global average. The findings indicate that Türkiye remains within a medium ecological threat band throughout the study period, with relatively higher risk observed in the domains of food security and demographic pressure. In contrast, indicators related to water risk and natural disaster impact suggest a more moderate threat profile, especially when compared with some neighboring countries in its broader region. The close alignment between Türkiye’s overall ETR score and the global average implies that the country is neither among the most vulnerable nor among the least exposed states, yet it faces a clear potential for risk intensification under ongoing pressures such as climate change, drought and continued population growth. The study concludes that the ETR can serve as a useful early-warning and monitoring tool for policy makers in Türkiye, highlighting the need to strengthen integrated strategies on food security, climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction in order to enhance long-term ecological resilience.Keywords : ETR (Ecological Threat Report), Trend Analyze, Ecology.
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