‘World waiting for us’: Türkiye urges faster clean energy transition ahead of COP31

Turkish Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum said Saturday that the global transition to clean energy must accelerate through concrete action, warning against reliance on fossil fuels and stressing the need for inclusive climate policies.

“We must reach clean energy in terms of reducing fossil fuels… and increasing renewable energy resources. We do not want to experience the energy crisis the world faces today again,” Kurum said at the panel “Towards COP31: Enhancing Climate Action in an Era of Geopolitical Changes” during the Fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) in southern Türkiye.

He said COP31 would aim to bring together 196 countries in a results-driven process focused on dialogue, consensus and implementation.

The minister also stressed that climate action must combine economic growth with environmental protection and said science and technology should guide the energy transition, particularly in areas such as storage, infrastructure and renewables.

Kurum added that public awareness and political pressure will be crucial to sustaining momentum, saying disasters linked to climate change are already increasing global urgency.

He said Türkiye aims to use COP31 to strengthen trust and push for practical outcomes.

“The world is waiting for us to make decisions and take action,” Kurum said. “If we do not change, the world will change us.”

Present-day investment shapes energy systems

Panel speakers also highlighted structural challenges in the global transition, noting that while fossil fuel dependency remains significant, some private energy companies continue to generate “windfall profits” without sufficient reinvestment in clean energy, while also facing criticism for undermining climate science and policy efforts.

At the same time, participants warned that the shift away from fossil fuels must be managed in a way that protects workers and communities dependent on the sector, emphasizing the need for a “just transition” that balances climate goals with social stability.

Speakers also said the energy transition depends on solving key bottlenecks, including financing costs, grid modernization and energy storage, arguing that progress in these areas would significantly accelerate global decarbonization.

One participant said international cooperation, even without full consensus, is essential to addressing these structural challenges and unlocking faster progress on climate goals, noting that an accelerated transition would benefit not only the climate but also economic development and energy security.

Discussions also focused on long-term climate targets, including net-zero emissions by the end of the century, but speakers stressed that the decisive factor is not distant deadlines but present-day investment decisions, which shape energy systems over decades.

They also said COP31 should become a turning point that transforms long-standing climate commitments into large-scale implementation across governments, financial institutions, businesses and media, arguing that the climate crisis already requires action at “scale and speed.”