In Antalya, southwestern Türkiye, air pollution exceeded safe limits for 204 days in 2024, according to measurements taken throughout the year.
Associate professor Güray Doğan from Akdeniz University stated: "Unfortunately, the situation is worsening day by day. The main cause is traffic. Pollution levels exceeded the limit on 204 days, whereas this should not happen more than 35 times per year."
Antalya, the tourism hub, is experiencing reduced rainfall and a significant decline in transitional seasons. In addition to the global climate crisis, environmental factors have contributed to worsening air quality. Data from a monitoring station in the city center revealed that pollution was above acceptable levels for more than half the year.
The primary cause of this pollution was identified as traffic congestion, which peaks during morning and evening hours. Additionally, increased vehicle emissions on highways and main roads have further deteriorated air quality.
Doğan warned that the severity of air pollution is alarming, emphasizing that vehicle emissions are the leading contributor. "There are emissions throughout the entire year due to motor vehicles. We still haven't solved the issue of residential heating either. The quality of coal used by end consumers is not properly regulated," he explained.
Highlighting the broader climate challenges, Doğan pointed out that extreme temperature fluctuations negatively impact air quality. He referred to air quality data from a monitoring station in Kepez district, stating: "The limit was exceeded on 204 days in 2024, whereas it should not have been exceeded more than 35 times annually. This data is collected from a location near the city center."
He further noted that excessive reliance on private vehicles rather than public transport is a major factor. "There are no concrete initiatives to promote public transportation. The efforts made so far have been insufficient. Public transportation routes need to be reconsidered. If this continues, the city's air quality will deteriorate further," he warned.
According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), the number of vehicles in Antalya has increased by half a million in the past six years. The number of registered vehicles in the city was 1,466,017 in 2024, rising to 1,578,360 as of January 2025.
