Overview
- COP31 opened in Antalya on Monday with Turkey, as host and COP president Murat Kurum, promoting a non‑binding '35 by 35' goal to raise electricity's share of final energy to 35% by 2035.
- Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar presented a $500 billion roadmap to electrify the economy and expand wind and solar to about 175 GW as part of Turkey's push.
- Critics note that roughly one third of Turkey's current electricity comes from coal, the country has no coal phase‑out date and reporting suggests plans could raise coal capacity by about 30% by 2035.
- Local resistance in İkizköy continues after a January presidential decree to expropriate 679 parcels for lignite expansion, a campaign that has included detentions and legal challenges and highlights health and livelihood harms.
- Negotiators face disputes over wording and finance as Australia leads formal talks, the EU insists on 'clean' electrification tied to low‑carbon power, and independent trackers say Turkey's interim targets remain insufficient.