Turkey Hosts COP31 Amid Coal Reliance and Solar Expansion
The U.N. climate summit opens in Antalya as officials push for implementation while critics point to the lack of a fossil fuel phase-out plan.
By John Ferrari ·
Turkey’s Energy Ministry reports that coal generated 33% of the country's electricity last year, a statistic that stands in sharp contrast to the solar boom visible in the central province of Konya. This data points to a mixed energy profile just days before the U.N. climate summit, known as COP31, convenes in the Mediterranean city of Antalya. The event is scheduled to run from November 9 to 20 and will bring together tens of thousands of delegates, world leaders, and business representatives.
In the town of Karapinar, the Kalyon Karapınar YEKA-1 Solar Power Plant operates on terrain equivalent to 2,600 soccer fields. The facility, which has been operational since 2023, houses more than 3 million solar panels. According to plant director Burak Dogru, the site generates enough electricity annually to meet approximately 0.7% of Turkey’s total power demand. He stated that the plant prevents about 1.75 million metric tons of carbon emissions every year, which he cited as evidence of the nation's shift toward cleaner energy sources.
Despite these renewable gains, advocates argue that Turkey's strategy lacks a concrete roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels. Duygu Kutluay, a campaigner with the Beyond Fossil Fuels advocacy group, noted that existing plans do not include a specific timeline for reducing coal or gas usage. She described this gap as incompatible with Turkey's pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2053. The Turkish Statistical Institute recorded the country's total greenhouse gas emissions at 584.5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent in 2024.
The summit takes place against a backdrop of rising energy costs driven by the Iran war and global energy security concerns. Murat Kurum, the Turkish minister of environment and climate change, stated that the conference will focus on turning past climate commitments into action rather than setting new targets. To this end, Turkey is promoting a
climate implementation bridge,
an initiative designed to connect countries with financing and technology to help them execute existing pledges.
The United States, the world's second-largest carbon polluter, will not be present at the summit after President Donald Trump withdrew the nation from global climate negotiations. The previous two summits concluded with final texts that did not mention fossil fuels. Kurum emphasized that the world currently wants to see past decisions put into practice rather than waiting for new decisions. The conference will also prioritize electrification and the reduction of waste and methane emissions.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has positioned his country as an environmental steward, with his wife Emine Erdogan championing a
zero waste
