A Political and Ecological Approach To Environmental Disasters in the Vortex of Human Intervention, Climate Change, and Social Issues: the Case of Lake Marmara (Manisa)

Abstract

This research aims to examine the process experienced in Lake Marmara (Manisa), which has completely dried up over the last 10 years because of the combined effects of climate change and human factors, from the perspective of political ecology by focusing on the interrelationship between climate change, conflict, and migration. In this context, this study contributes to the literature that explains the sources of environmental problems arising from the combined effects of human and natural processes through the lens of political ecology. While the main data sources for the study consist of qualitative interviews and observation notes, significant use has also been made of statistical data and literature related to the lake and its surroundings. The findings reveal that climate change has a multiplier effect in places where the environment is viewed as a commodity and, consequently, poor governance practices are prevalent, significantly affecting agricultural yield losses, low-intensity conflicts, and migration movements. This study investigates the potential consequences of failing to implement healthy, sustainable, and equitable policies in climate-related sectors, particularly water resources, in today's Turkey, where human-induced environmental problems are increasingly affecting larger areas because of climate change. It emphasizes that taking measures in this regard is an urgent necessity rather than a choice and suggests that all relevant institutions should pay attention to developing environmentally