Turkey plans $200 billion energy investment ahead of COP31

As Turkey prepares to host the COP31 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Antalya in November 2026, significant economic and academic preparations are underway. The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has outlined a $200 billion investment plan to support global electrification goals, which aim to increase electricity's share in final energy consumption to 35% by 2035.

Of the planned $200 billion, $120 billion is designated for electricity production—targeting 120 GW of wind and solar capacity—while $80 billion is earmarked for transmission and distribution networks. This includes 40 GW of HVDC corridors and over 10 GW of battery storage capacity. Experts note that while these investments are critical for reducing energy imports and addressing the current account deficit, the current annual grid investment of approximately $1 billion must increase significantly to meet 2035 targets.

In the academic sector, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University (AFSÜ) is coordinating efforts to contribute to the summit through sustainability and climate change research. University leadership is focusing on developing awareness and new collaborative projects to support Turkey's climate mitigation goals.