Turkey pushes for transition at COP31 as coal burns
As host of the 2026 UN climate summit (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey is promoting global decarbonization while struggling to curb its own fossil fuel reliance. The nation highlights significant clean energy progress, with wind and solar now supplying 22% of its electricity—up from 4.5% a decade ago—and approvals for over 33 gigawatts of battery storage since 2022. COP31 President Murat Kurum is also spearheading the "35x35" initiative, aiming to increase global economic electrification from around 20% to 35% by 2035 to enhance energy security.
Yet Turkey’s domestic record presents major contradictions. It has set no coal phaseout date, and coal-fired generation climbed by a third over the past decade, surpassing Germany and Poland in 2024. Although 97% of proposed coal projects were canceled in the last decade, authorities announced plans in June to nearly double the capacity of a major coal plant.
Severe import dependence further complicates the transition, as Turkey imports 95% of its natural gas, 83% of crude oil, and 60% of coal. Climate Action Tracker warns that current policies allow emissions to rise until 2038, jeopardizing its 2053 net-zero target, while national plans put Turkey on track to reach only 25% electrification by 2035.
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