PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE HUMAN SETTLEMENTS AND ECO-CITY PLANNING APPROACH: SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA REGION AND

In the recent years, there have been many opportunities flourishing through the development of Turkey. One of these is unvalued rich agricultural and hydro-sources in the Southeastern Anatolia Region. The Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), one of the most important projects to develop the remarkable natural resources of the world, is considered as a chance to make use of rich water and agricultural resources of the Southeastern Anatolia Region. In the recent years, the concept of promoting sustainable human settlements and eco-city planning approach has been included into the GAP Project. And, by applying these concepts in real projects caused remarkable results through development of the region. The aim of this study is analyze the concepts of promoting sustainable human settlements and eco-city planning approach in the GAP Project that has been still processed. In the first section, the region of Southeastern Anatolia and the GAP Project will be introduced briefly. In the second section, the stages of GAP Project and the project existing will be analyzed. In the third section, the projects and sub-projects used for promoting sustainable human settlements will be introduced. In the last and fourth section, a series of policies and strategies for providing the process of settlements which is optimal and harmonizes with eco-system will be given. 1