Turkey’s COP31 message: electrify, recycle, don’t mention coal

As Turkey prepares to host COP31, the host nation is highlighting the importance of electrification and recycling to reduce its environmental impact. President Murat Kurum, who also serves as Turkey's environment minister, will announce the country's goal of making electricity account for 35% of global energy demand by 2035. This non-binding target is part of Turkey's 10-point Action Agenda aimed at accelerating the shift to renewables and improving energy security.

Kurum believes that electrification is the answer to the energy crisis, as it protects communities from volatile global markets and reduces emissions. Turkey has made significant progress in renewable energy infrastructure, with the government unveiling a US$500-billion roadmap to electrify the economy and expand wind and solar capacity fourfold to 175 gigawatts.

However, Turkey still relies heavily on coal, with coal accounting for a third of its electricity production. The government has not set a date for phasing out coal and plans to expand two existing coal-fired power plants.

Environmental campaigners argue that Turkey's Zero Waste Initiative, which seeks to reduce methane emissions from waste, fails to address the root cause of emissions by not preventing waste at its source. The plastics industry is also criticized for being a "Trojan horse" for the fossil fuel industry, as waste plastic is redirected into the petrochemical industry instead of being recycled.