Erdoğan was speaking at the opening of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2010 in Abu Dhabi. He noted that energy has become a serious issue due to a growing population and expanding global economy.
As global issues require global efforts to be resolved, he said, issues related to energy can also be resolved only through establishing global cooperation. Erdoğan, stating that global energy security is of great importance for everyone, stressed that clean energy, efficiency and environmental pollution have also taken on crucial importance over time. “We have to meet people’s requirements. But we are, at the same time, obliged to leave a habitable world to the next generations,” he said, stressing the necessity of establishing cooperation among all countries on issues such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Speaking at the opening of the World Future Energy Summit 2010 in Abu Dhabi, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan noted that energy has become a serious issue due to a rising population and an expanding global economy. He said issues related to energy can also be resolved only through establishing global cooperation |
Erdoğan also highlighted the importance of renewable energy, saying that more emphasis should be put on it. “Turkey has considerable potential for renewable energy, especially in wind, geothermal, hydroelectric and solar energy. Currently, renewable energy resources account for 20 percent of total energy production in the country. Our target for 2023 is to raise this share to 30 percent. We also aim to reach 20,000 megawatts in wind energy capacity and 600 megawatts in geothermal energy by that year,” he said.
 Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (3rd from left) poses for cameras along with other guests at the opening of the World Future Energy Summit 2010 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. |
Remarking that energy sources and routes should be diversified to ensure energy security, Erdoğan stated that only in this way can geopolitical and technical risks related to energy be reduced to a minimum. He cited the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline, Blue Stream and the Turkey-Greece natural gas pipeline as important projects recently launched by Turkey to contribute to the energy security of both Turkey and Europe. “Similarly, work continues for the Nabucco project, the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Turkey-Greece-Italy natural gas pipeline,” he said.
The intergovernmental agreement on the Nabucco natural gas pipeline project was the most important development for Turkey’s energy strategy in 2009, the prime minister recalled, adding that the completion of this project will help efforts to provide peace, stability and prosperity in the region, apart from ensuring energy security. Erdoğan mentioned another project in the works, that of transporting natural gas from Qatar to European markets, which will provide great opportunities for the Gulf region.
After the meeting, Erdoğan and Muhammed bin Zayed El Nahyan, the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates, held a meeting that was closed to the press.
