'Coal has no future in Turkey'

Photo: Europe Beyond Coal

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Ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that the parliament will ratify Paris Agreement next month. Turkey is the only G20 country that hasn't ratified the treaty.

Releasing a statement about Erdoğan's statement and China's commitment to end support for new coal overseas, Europe Beyond Coal said that Turkey should rapidly make a roadmap to leave coal.

NOTE: Seventy-three percent of coal-fired projects in planning stage in OECD countries are in Turkey, which is the country with fifth most planned coal-fired plants in the world. However, projects that had a total capacity of 62 GW have been canceled since 2015.

"China's commitment to end coal support overseas spells the end for new coal in Turkey. Combined with the Turkish government's intention to ratify the UN Paris climate agreement, this means it must plan for a total coal exit this decade," said Duygu Kutluay, Europe Beyond Coal campaigner.

"Turkey has a massive potential for renewable energy. With this historic climate commitment, we now have the happy challenge of making a bold transition away from coal, and towards clean energy.

"This will improve the health of our people, protect us from more tragic wildfires, and show that we will do our part for international climate action."

Projects in Turkey

"Our expectation is that China will stop ongoing coal investments, such as the Hunutlu coal power plant project, ending material and equipment supply to coal power plants and also ending any financial services including insurance," said Efe Baysal, from 350.org.

"In addition, we assume and believe that China will no longer be interested in public-private partnership model projects like Afşin C in Kahramanmaraş, and we hope this will convince Turkey to move on from coal completely." (TP/VK)