Türkiye aims to strengthen energy, climate diplomacy through next month's COP31 UN Climage Change Conference

As Türkiye prepares to host next month's 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31 or COP31 Türkiye), it aims to strengthen its role in energy and climate diplomacy, help turn global climate targets into concrete action and harness its renewable energy potential through international partnerships. COP31, scheduled for Nov. 9-20 in Antalya, will provide an opportunity to highlight Türkiye's diplomatic capabilities, position in the energy transition and climate policies on the international stage. Türkiye will hold the COP31 Presidency and lead the Action Agenda, while Australia will serve as President of Negotiations. Türkiye's approach to the summit focuses on turning existing climate commitments into achievable and measurable outcomes through dialogue, consensus and action. Priority areas include electrification, the clean energy transition, green industrialization, the circular economy, climate-resilient cities and climate finance. The COP31 Presidency has announced initiatives aimed at increasing electricity's share of global final energy consumption to 35% by 2035, reducing energy intensity in buildings by at least 25% and cutting the rate of growth in global waste generation by half. Turning climate commitments into bankable and investment-ready projects is also a central part of the agenda. Renewable energy potential supports cooperation Türkiye's solar and wind energy potential provides a foundation for partnerships that could emerge from COP31. Expanding renewable energy capacity, strengthening electricity grids and accelerating electrification are among the country's energy transition priorities. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has announced that Türkiye aims to increase its installed renewable energy capacity to 120 gigawatts by 2035, with work underway on more ambitious targets for 2040. COP31 is therefore expected to offer opportunities to advance Türkiye's clean energy investments through international financing, technology transfer and partnerships. Geographic location enables regional energy cooperation Situated at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Türkiye is strategically positioned to connect energy sources with consumer markets, creating opportunities for cooperation in climate diplomacy. Its location along international trade and energy routes allows the country to develop regional partnerships in electricity interconnections, renewable energy investment, energy efficiency and low-carbon industry. Making better use of this potential to meet climate targets will require increasing the share of renewables in the energy system, upgrading electricity grids and accelerating the transformation of energy infrastructure. International partnerships, green industry gain prominence Global Energy Association President Murat Dilek told Anadolu that expanding Türkiye's manufacturing capacity for renewable energy equipment, particularly wind turbines and solar panels, offers significant opportunities for green industrialization and for strengthening the country's role in energy and climate diplomacy. Increasing domestic manufacturing capacity would support renewable energy investment, while Türkiye's strategic position connecting Europe, the Middle East and Asia could help the country play a greater role in regional supply chains, Dilek said. He added that these developments would improve Türkiye's competitiveness in the global clean energy market. "Türkiye's diplomatic success in this process will be measured not only by the establishment of dialogue between countries, but also by the transformation of the targets set out in Antalya into concrete partnerships and viable projects," Dilek said. "To turn this potential into lasting gains, Türkiye needs to implement its national climate targets, accelerate clean energy investments and facilitate access to climate finance," he said, adding: "By boosting domestic manufacturing and technological capabilities, reducing environmental impacts and strengthening international partnerships, Türkiye can demonstrate its potential not only as a diplomatic actor in the COP31 process, but also as a manufacturing and technology hub contributing to the global green transition."