Türkiye has assumed the COP31 presidency and partnered with the International Energy Agency to accelerate the global transition to clean energy. The collaboration establishes three immediate priorities: expanding access to clean cooking solutions, reducing waste-related emissions, and creating a new financing mechanism to fund renewable energy deployment in developing nations.
Clean cooking represents a critical gap in climate action. Nearly 2.6 billion people worldwide still rely on biomass, charcoal, and kerosene for cooking, generating household air pollution that kills approximately 3.8 million people annually, according to the World Health Organization. The IEA has identified clean cooking as a pathway to simultaneously address energy poverty and climate goals, with household cooking accounting for roughly 2% of global CO2 emissions when factoring in deforestation and methane releases.
Waste-to-energy initiatives form the second pillar. Municipal solid waste generates approximately 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a figure rising as consumption increases in middle-income countries. Türkiye's approach targets methane capture from landfills and promotion of waste-to-electricity projects, which the IEA estimates could displace fossil fuel generation across emerging markets.
The financing mechanism represents the most ambitious element. Current renewable energy funding gaps in developing countries exceed $500 billion annually, according to IEA analysis. Türkiye's COP31 framework proposes leveraging multilateral development banks and private capital to bridge this disparity, building on commitments made at COP29 in Baku to increase climate finance pledges.
The partnership capitalizes on Türkiye's strategic position. As a middle-income country spanning Europe and Asia, Türkiye chairs negotiations affecting nations across multiple continents and income levels. The IEA, which advises 31 member countries representing approximately 80% of global energy demand, brings technical expertise