Azernews.Az

Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar addressed an information meeting organized by the Zero Waste Foundation at the Turkish Embassy in London as part of his engagements during London Climate Action Week.

The event was attended by Türkiye's Ambassador to London, Osman Koray Ertaş, and Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and High-Level Climate Champion for the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31).

In his remarks, Bayraktar said that the uncertainty and conflicts witnessed around the world in recent years have led to profound changes in the energy sector, adding that the latest crisis stemming from the war in the Middle East has once again demonstrated the critical importance of energy security.

He explained that during the crisis, Asian countries that rely on energy supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz had taken various precautionary measures, while European countries, including Türkiye, had implemented policies to shield their citizens from rising energy prices.

"Energy security is one of the indispensable elements for every country," Bayraktar said. "The world is rapidly moving toward electrification. One of the key issues that Türkiye, as the COP31 President, has put forward this year is electrification. Electricity consumption will continue to rise in the coming years, particularly due to artificial intelligence and data centers, electric vehicles, and increased cooling demand."

Bayraktar stressed that while energy security risks are increasing and electricity demand continues to surge, countries must also remain committed to combating climate change.

Pointing to the critical importance of collective action in the global fight against climate change, Bayraktar said: "The challenge we face is extremely serious, but there is no strong political will in the world. When we look at one of the world's largest polluters, the United States, we see that rhetoric changes from one administration to another. These fluctuations cost the entire world valuable time. If the world is unable to achieve results on climate issues, it means politicians have failed to ensure continuity."

Bayraktar stated that Türkiye has focused on three fundamental questions in its fight against climate change and its clean energy transition.

The first issue, he said, is ensuring energy supply security. The second is achieving energy independence, which he described as Türkiye's biggest strategic objective.

Noting that Türkiye imports approximately two-thirds of the energy it consumes, Bayraktar said this dependency on imported energy creates vulnerabilities in the country's economy.

Emphasizing that ending external dependence in the energy sector—one of the primary causes of the current account deficit—is one of Türkiye's most important priorities, Bayraktar said: "Our third objective is for Türkiye to become a carbon-neutral economy in the early 2050s. This means a very profound transformation that will disrupt established patterns across every area of the economy."

He underscored that this transition would also have significant social implications and said that extensive preparations must be made for the sweeping changes expected over the next three decades.

Bayraktar also highlighted the critical role of nuclear energy in Türkiye's future, saying: "Türkiye has to develop nuclear energy. It is one of the ways to generate electricity without producing emissions."

He noted that while seeking solutions to these three challenges simultaneously, Türkiye is rapidly increasing its renewable energy capacity to meet growing electricity demand and focusing on areas where energy efficiency can be improved.

Within this framework, Bayraktar said that zero waste and energy efficiency are being addressed together, adding that the Zero Waste movement, launched in 2017, has evolved from a national initiative into a rapidly growing global brand.

Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and High-Level Climate Champion for COP31, said that the organization aims to make Istanbul the global capital of the zero-waste movement and is continuing its efforts toward that goal.

Ağırbaş also noted that the Foundation seeks to work more closely with Turkish communities living abroad. In this regard, he said the Foundation has established a career center that will soon begin operations, providing mentorship opportunities and internships at international organizations for the children of Turkish families residing overseas.