Distinguished participants,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is always a great pleasure to join Caspian Policy Center discussions and focus on issues of shared interest in our wider region. I thank Efgan Nifti and Ambassador Moran for their hard work and efforts in bringing us together.

We have been debating energy security for decades. What is different today is the extreme sensitivity of our societies to energy disruptions. In a hyper-connected world, even a few hours without electricity or internet can cause serious social and economic disturbances.

The rise of AI and data centres has led to an exponential increase in global energy demand. Yet, we do not have the technological breakthroughs needed to meet this demand in a clean and sustainable way. This is why the world is witnessing renewed interest in nuclear energy.

Energy security must now be understood in a broader and more integrated sense. It is no longer only about ensuring physical supply. It is about building resilient infrastructure, strengthening market flexibility, developing alternative routes and sources, and navigating an increasingly complex international geopolitical climate.

Indeed, energy is not and has not been just an economic commodity. It shapes geopolitics, national resilience, and strategic decision-making. Attacks on critical infrastructure, sanctions, tariffs, and export controls on critical raw materials are shared challenges.

Energy has already become a geopolitical tool. In the past, this meant gas and pipelines. Today, it includes rare earth elements and critical minerals.

As a net importer of hydrocarbons, Türkiye has long prioritised energy security as a pillar of national welfare and economic growth. We have:

• Made major investments in green transformation,
• Focused on new technologies,
• Expanded our storage capacity,
• Diversified our energy sources,
• And invested in domestic onshore and offshore resources, including in the Black Sea.

Türkiye has long been a reliable energy partner in its region — with major projects such as the BTC pipeline, TANAP, and the Southern Gas Corridor. We have built a robust energy infrastructure, including five LNG terminals and extensive external gas networks.

These investments have allowed us to withstand recent energy crises and support our European partners’ energy security, including Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. These are not one-off arrangements, but part of a strategic realignment of energy corridors.

Our recent MoU with Turkmenistan lays the foundation for delivering Turkmen gas to Western markets. We see this as a unique window of opportunityfor Europe and the region — one that must not be missed.

We are also taking strong steps to ensure robust energy transition and energy independence.

• 61% of our installed capacity is renewable-based.
• We already rank 5th in Europe and 11th globally in renewable energy.
• We have reached 38,000 MW in wind and solar.
• Our goal is 120,000 MW by 2035, attracting over $80 billion in investment.
• This requires adding 8,000–9,000 MW of new renewables annually.
• We continue to invest to untap onshore and offshore hydrocarbon reserves, including in the Black Sea.
• On nuclear, we target 20,000 MW by 2050 and support the global pledge to triple nuclear energy.
• We are also investing in hydrogen, battery storage, carbon capture, and critical minerals and rare earths. Türkiye is a member of the Minerals Security Partnership to ensure access to critical materials.

Dear friends,

It will be a proud moment for my country to host COP31 next year.

It will be hosted in Antalya, a city with strong infrastructure and a lower carbon travel footprint. Antalya previously hosted the G20 Summit in 2015.

Unlike the previous four hosts, Türkiye is not a hydrocarbon-exporting nation. Given our unique position between East and West, we will act as a bridge between the Global North and South, ensuring that no country is left behind.

Türkiye has already submitted its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and will continue to lead by example — showing that a country both vulnerable to climate change and with low historical responsibility can act with determination.

We take serious steps towards net zero, including Zero Waste Initiative, championed by our First Lady. Today, we have reached a national recycling rate of 36% as of 2024, and recycle ratio target is set as %60 in 10 years,

We are committed to driving the global climate agenda forward. And we look forward to advance an inclusive, transparent, and action-oriented climate agenda.

Dear friends,

Energy security and green transformation are not competing goals. We must deliver both.

As Türkiye prepares to lead COP31, and as a regional energy anchor, we offer both infrastructure and vision grounded in partnership.

We look forward to working with our Central Asian, Caucasian, Middle Eastern, and European partners to chart a path towards a more secure, sustainable, and cooperative energy future.

Thank you.