As the Turkish authorities welcome delegates to the 2026 UN climate talks in Antalya and supposedly advocate for global cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, the nation remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels. While the administration points to surging renewable energy capacity and massive battery storage projects at home, critics argue that these steps fall dangerously short of addressing the core addiction to coal and gas.
Key Takeaways: Turkey has approved over 33 gigawatts of battery storage projects since 2022, yet its coal-fired electricity generation increased by roughly one-third over the past decade, overtaking historical European leaders like Germany and Poland in 2024.
Observers note that Turkey stands out as one of the few industrialized nations that has stubbornly refused to commit to a formal coal phaseout date. Umit Sahin of the Istanbul Policy Center claims that the Turkish regime's climate targets are 'highly insufficient,' allowing domestic emissions to keep rising until 2038. This trajectory allegedly jeopardizes the official ambition of reaching net-zero emissions by 2053.
Furthermore, the country's severe vulnerability stems from importing 95% of its natural gas, 83% of its crude oil, and 60% of its coal. To supposedly deflect from these internal contradictions, the Turkish authorities launched the '35x35' global electrification pledge in September, aiming to raise global economic electrification to 35% by 2035.
International climate experts remain skeptical about these grand declarations, especially given that domestic plans include expanding major coal-fired plants, highlighting a fundamental contradiction in the nation's energy policy.
Source: www.dw.com