“This story was initially published as part of the The International People’s Platform for Climate Justice project”

What is the cost of economic growth? There may be many answers to that, but the better question is what the cost shouldn’t be. Should the cost be hundreds of year-old olive trees, or should it be the loss of small towns and their culture?
Coal mining and coal power plants in Turkey have changed the small towns and villages, some of them irrevocably. But a small town in Muğla called İkizköy said enough. They have been protecting their last town, the last green forest, and the olive grove for more than 240 days. They have come face to face with one of the biggest forest fires in the history of Turkey, police intervention, and countless legal battles.
This video is their story, a small town protecting their small forest against polluters with hearts of stone:

Video Credit: Europe Beyond Coal
 
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We Will Not Surrender Akbelen Forest For Coal
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