By Abbas Nazil
Türkiye has raised the share of renewable energy in its installed power capacity to more than 60 percent this year, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced at the UN Climate Summit in New York.
Erdogan said the milestone reflects Türkiye’s push to expand low-carbon technologies while improving energy efficiency and strengthening infrastructure.
He highlighted ongoing national efforts in electric vehicle manufacturing, railway development, and clean industry, stressing that energy transformation is central to meeting long-term climate goals.
The president reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2053.
According to him, the government is working on a framework that includes an emissions trading scheme, a national green taxonomy, and a comprehensive green finance strategy.
Erdogan explained that Türkiye’s climate policy rests on seven key areas: energy, industry, transportation, buildings, agriculture, forestry, and waste management.
Through policies already underway, Türkiye aims to cut 466 million tons of emissions by 2035, reducing total national emissions to about 643 million tons.
Erdogan also expressed his hope that Türkiye will host COP31 in 2026, signaling the country’s ambition to play a larger role in global climate diplomacy.
On the sidelines of the summit, Erdogan answered questions from reporters at the Turkish House in New York.
He described his meetings with other world leaders as positive and confirmed plans to travel to Washington for detailed talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Erdogan said discussions with the American president would be shared after the meeting, noting that expectations should be tempered until outcomes are clear.
The announcement underscores Türkiye’s dual focus on expanding renewable energy at home while seeking greater influence in international climate negotiations.