Climate goals in sight?: Erdogan announces new oil production at the start of COP31
That's a bad fit: The Turkish president is announcing the exploitation of new oil deposits, while the UN climate conference in his country is discussing options for phasing out fossil fuels.
On the inaugural day of the two-week United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the discovery and exploitation of two additional oil fields in the country's southeast. The Gabar oil field, in particular, is expected to increase production by 30% through new drilling techniques, reaching a daily output of 100,000 barrels (159 liters) in the second half of 2027.
Environmental activists condemn this move as "fossil ignorance." The conference, held in Antalya, brings together over 190 nations to discuss the gradual phase-out of oil, gas, and coal as climate-damaging energy sources. Critics have long criticized Turkey's climate record, citing ongoing investments in fossil fuels. Just the morning before, environmental organization Urgewald criticized the state-owned company Türkiye Petrolleri AO (TPAO) for "fossil ignorance," claiming its spending on finding new oil and gas reserves had doubled over the past five years.
Erdogan's statements echo those made by Azerbaijan's leader Ilham Aliyev during his opening remarks at COP29 in Baku two years ago, where Aliyev referred to the country's oil and gas reserves as "a gift from God" and urged no nation to market these resources. Turkey remains heavily dependent on energy imports, consuming about 1 million barrels of oil daily, with around 90% of that imported.
However, Ankara aims to reduce the country's daily oil consumption by around 30% by 2040, partly through a $500 billion investment in electrification.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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