Türkiye eyes COP31 to attract green investment, advance industrial transformation

Türkiye sees COP31 as an opportunity to attract international green investment and accelerate industrial transformation, officials said on Friday, highlighting opportunities in renewable energy manufacturing, electric mobility and recycling. Speaking at the Investment Summit Towards COP31 in Istanbul, Ahmet Burak Daglioglu, president of Türkiye’s Investment and Finance Office, said the conference would help present the country’s investment potential to global businesses and financing providers. “We have a very strong story,” he said, adding that Türkiye needs to communicate its green transition policies more effectively to international partners. Climate-friendly investment gains momentum Climate-friendly investments are a priority under Türkiye’s international direct investment strategy through 2028, with 94 projects attracted under that heading so far, Daglioglu said. The office also assesses and scores projects in its portfolio against sustainability principles, he added. Türkiye’s ambitions extend beyond generating renewable energy to manufacturing equipment needed for the transition. The country has Europe’s largest solar panel production capacity and an extensive wind energy equipment manufacturing ecosystem serving domestic and international markets, Daglioglu said. Battery production capacity is expected to expand, while automotive policies support existing manufacturers’ transformation and new players such as electric vehicle producer Togg, he added. Daglioglu highlighted recycling and upcycling opportunities arising from Türkiye’s industrial base and integration into global supply chains. Under the Zero Waste initiative launched in 2017, 90 million tons of waste has been recycled, while the recovery rate has reached about 37%, he said. Türkiye aims to raise that rate to 60% by 2035. Green development can support growth Mehmet Emin Birpinar, Türkiye’s special representative for COP31 at the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry, said climate action presents an economic opportunity. “Climate change is not an obstacle to our development,” he said, pointing to the direction of global financing flows. Birpinar compared green development with earlier waves of industrialization and information technology that helped countries build wealth, warning that missing the transition could leave Türkiye further behind. He stressed the need to reduce emissions while adapting infrastructure and economic activity to changing climate conditions. Rising cooling demand illustrates how climate impacts can increase energy consumption and potentially emissions when electricity comes from fossil fuels, he added.