Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized the critical importance of energy as a driver of development, industrialization, and growth during his speech at the Istanbul Energy Forum.

He highlighted that energy, alongside transportation and communication, is essential for ensuring "energy supply security" — the uninterrupted and affordable access to high-quality, clean energy.

"The war between Russia and Ukraine, now surpassing its 1,000th day, underscores the risks of foreign dependency in energy," President Erdoğan said. He noted that Türkiye has successfully navigated the energy challenges posed by the conflict, thanks to balanced relations with both nations, whereas European countries faced significant hardships due to the energy crisis triggered by the war.

Despite global and regional economic challenges, the Turkish economy has maintained uninterrupted growth for 14 years, said President Erdoğan. He projected continued above-average growth for the nation, driving increased energy demand.

"As our population expands, industrialization accelerates, and prosperity rises, our energy needs grow year by year," Erdoğan said. He underscored Türkiye’s determination to harness all available resources to achieve energy independence while resisting external pressures from "pseudo-environmentalist marginal groups."

Türkiye is making significant efforts to maximize its potential in various energy fields, including mining, natural gas, wind, and solar energy. Erdoğan announced plans to begin gold production in Niger by 2025 and highlighted a major discovery of rare earth elements in Beylikova, Eskişehir, where the world's second-largest reserve has been identified.

"Our advancements in fossil energy resources are also notable," Erdoğan said, mentioning Türkiye’s advanced fleet of exploration and production vessels.

President Erdoğan condemned the "growth at any cost" mentality, stressing the need for sustainable, human-focused policies that respect nature. "Our world has suffered immensely from the mindset that valued oil more than human lives," he remarked, urging a shift from exploitative systems.

He further criticized the misuse of energy resources by dictators and emphasized the impossibility of achieving global peace, energy security, or economic prosperity without valuing humanity and the environment.

Türkiye has made substantial investments in renewable energy, increasing its share in the total installed energy capacity to 60%. This achievement places the country fifth in Europe and 11th globally. Erdoğan announced ambitious goals to rank among the top three in Europe and top nine worldwide by 2025.

By 2035, Türkiye plans to expand its wind and solar energy capacity from 31,000 MW to 120,000 MW. "We pursue human-focused policies of utmost responsibility to leave a cleaner and more livable world for future generations," Erdoğan concluded. (ILKHA)