Honorable MPs, Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,

I extend my gratitude to the Institute of Directors for the kind invitation to the launch of Natural Resources Group.

We find ourselves at a critical juncture in striking the fine balance between environmental concerns and our growing need for energy resources.

As we confront the pressing challenges of climate change and the imperative of energy security, the effective utilization of natural resources becomes more important than ever.

I hope that the Natural Resources Group will provide a platform for fostering knowledge exchange to advance sustainable resource management.

The transition to clean energy is key in our national strategy. This is indeed no longer a distant aspiration but an imminent strategic necessity.

Allow me to present some key figures on Türkiye’s renewable energy landscape.

Our aim is to achieve energy independence and net-zero in the coming 3 decades.

We declared net zero target for 2053. We doubled emission reduction target with a total reduction of 100 million tons by 2030.

Türkiye’s installed energy capacity has reached 107 gigawatts, over 55% of which is derived from renewable sources. This makes us amongst the top renewable energy producers, 5th in Europe and 12th globally.

By 2053, we aim to increase the ratio of renewables in electricity generation to 69%.

Hydropower is a key element in our renewable portfolio, currently contributing about 30% of our total capacity, making us second in Europe and 9th in the world.

Wind and solar energy are also growing rapidly, with a combined share of 19%.

Türkiye is also ranked among top five nations in geothermal energy (alongside the US, Indonesia, the Philippines, and New Zealand).

The first national electric vehicle TOGG has been in the market for more than a year now. It has become so popular and we are seeing an increasing number of EVs on our roads, supported by incentives. The company foresees 1 million TOGG cars in its tenth year.

Zero waste initiative by our First Lady Emine Erdogan targets a recycle ratio of%60 in 10 years. Zero waste program helped Türkiye to save 3.5 billion dollars in six years and prevented 4.9 million tons of greenhouse emissions.

In addition to large-scale nuclear power plants, we are also interested in adding innovative Small Modular Reactors to our energy infrastructure and we are having talks with the British industry on that.

Dear guests,

Rare earth elements and critical minerals are the key issues for every nation focusing on renewables. We also take measures to ensure their supply in safe, continuous and affordable means.

We have to ensure the safety of supply chains to reduce import dependency on risky minerals. We also need to focus on the development of national mineral reserves. We should also make investments in mineral recycling technologies.

Minerals and rare earths should not be an area of competition. We should continue to increase collaborations with countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Dear guests,

We have a growing partnership with the UK on energy.

UK Export Finance supported one of the largest solar power plants in Europe, in Karapınar Türkiye. The photovoltaic plant will be capable of powering up to two million households when it reaches full operational capacity.

UKEF has also supported 3 different electric train lines in my country.

We are keen to explore further opportunities to expand this collaboration on renewables and sustainability projects.

As we navigate the path forward, Türkiye remains committed to responsible and sustainable resource utilization, aligned with our national environmental targets.

Together, we can build a cleaner, more secure energy future for all. With this understanding, Türkiye is ready to contribute to the endeavors of the Natural Resources Group.

Thank you.