Against a backdrop of escalating attacks on commercial maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz that have upended global oil and liquefied natural gas supply chains and undermined cross-border energy security, Turkey is accelerating a wide-ranging portfolio of climate action measures as it prepares to host the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in the southern coastal city of Antalya from November 9 to 20. New data compiled by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy confirms that October 2025 has already become the most dangerous month on record for commercial shipping operating in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding Middle Eastern waterways, with 28 verified attacks logged in the 30-day period alone, bringing the total number of incidents since the outbreak of regional hostilities between the US, Israel and Iran on February 28 to 113. The International Maritime Organisation further tallies 120 total disruptive events across the Strait of Hormuz and broader Middle East maritime zones, placing roughly 20,000 seafarers, port personnel and offshore energy staff at direct risk. As one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, the Strait of Hormuz’s ongoing instability has underscored the urgent need for diversified, low-carbon energy frameworks that reduce reliance on volatile fossil fuel trade routes. Ankara’s pre-COP31 green roadmap spans energy market reform, clean maritime technology deployment, circular economy promotion and coastal ecological conservation, designed to position the country as a regional leader in equitable climate transition. As of October 10, 2025, Turkey’s total installed electricity capacity stands at 127.3 gigawatts, with renewable sources already accounting for 62% of that total, according to official figures from national energy markets operator Energy Exchange Istanbul (EPIAS). Taha Meli Arvas, EPIAS Chief Executive, outlined that the administration’s next core priority is scaling up national battery storage capacity to convert intermittent renewable energy into reliable baseload power, eliminating gaps in clean energy supply. EPIAS already administers the YEK-G system, a national renewable energy guarantee-of-origin platform that standardizes the issuance, trading and redemption of verified renewable electricity certificates, allowing domestic and international businesses to formally document their use of low-carbon power. The country is also developing a national emissions trading system (ETS), scheduled for a two-year pilot phase starting in 2026. The 2026 pilot year will operate as an emissions monitoring period, requiring participating industries to submit full, verified emissions reports without mandatory allowance surrenders, before the formal carbon pricing mechanism launches in 2027. Mustafa Aydin, EPIAS Deputy General Director for Environmental and Minerals Markets, explained that revenues generated from the ETS will be reinvested to support industrial decarbonization projects, a critical support structure for Turkish manufacturers that export heavily to the European Union, where the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will soon impose tariffs on imports with high embedded carbon content. EPIAS is currently running targeted training and support programs for domestic enterprises to help them meet CBAM reporting requirements and avoid unexpected cross-border compliance costs. Turkey’s clean transition efforts also extend to the maritime sector, a key segment of its national economy. In the Tuzla shipbuilding hub, local firm Navtek Naval Technologies has developed the ZeeTug line of zero-emission, battery-powered harbour tugboats, four of which are already in active commercial operation. Unlike traditional diesel-powered tugs, these electric vessels eliminate direct exhaust emissions and drastically cut operational noise pollution during in-port ship maneuvering. The country is also partnering with the Istanbul-based Zero Waste Foundation, established in 2023, to integrate circular economy principles into its national climate agenda. The foundation, led by President Samed Agirbas and advised by Christian Mensah, a former senior UN-Habitat official, is advancing initiatives targeting food waste reduction, methane emissions cuts, resource efficiency and cross-sector circular industrial practices. It has also proposed the creation of a dedicated Istanbul Platform that will connect zero-waste project developers with global green financing, track implementation progress and ensure accountability for climate commitments made during COP31. The framework moves far beyond basic waste disposal and recycling to prioritize upstream waste prevention, optimized material utilization and full emissions reduction across entire production and consumption value chains. Turkey’s pre-summit preparations also include targeted coastal ecosystem restoration and protection projects. In the Fethiye-Gocek protected marine area, a network of purpose-built buoys and designated mooring points, managed via the digital Deria mapping system, eliminates the need for recreational and commercial vessels to drop anchors on sensitive seabed seagrass meadows. These seagrass habitats act as critical feeding and breeding grounds for endangered marine species including sea turtles, dolphins and Mediterranean monk seals, while also sequestering vast amounts of carbon in their biomass and underlying sediments. The Zero Waste Foundation is also drafting a comprehensive conservation management plan for the Dalyan-Koycegiz region, which encompasses Lake Koycegiz, the connecting Dalyan canal network, extensive wetland and forest ecosystems, and Iztuzu Beach, one of the Mediterranean’s most important nesting sites for vulnerable loggerhead turtles. The upcoming COP31 summit will bring together national governments, private sector stakeholders and civil society groups from across the globe to align on accelerated climate action and deliver on previously agreed international emissions reduction commitments. For Turkey, the high-profile global gathering offers a unique platform to showcase its homegrown green transition strategies to an international audience, while the ongoing instability in the Strait of Hormuz has reinforced that building a resilient, low-carbon national energy system is no longer just a climate priority, but a critical national and regional energy security imperative.