The International Energy Agency's 2002 review of Turkey's energy policies and programmes. This edition finds that Turkey aspires to link the oil- and gas-rich Caspian area to Western markets. Several pipelines through Turkey are nearing completion. The projects could enhance diversity and security of supply in consuming countries. They could also relieve the environmental strain of heavy ship traffic through the Bosporus.
Numerous attempts have been made to open Turkey’s energy markets to competition and to ensure that energy supply grows in step with population and demand. Turkey has made early and extensive use of build-own-operate and build-own-transfer schemes to promote investment in power-plant capacity. In the last two years, decisive progress has been made.
The concept of privatisation was introduced into the Turkish constitution. Legislation was adopted in February 2001 to allow competition in the electricity market and to adapt Turkey’s legislation for European Union membership. A new Gas Market Law was adopted in May 2001, despite the macro-economic turmoil that Turkey has experienced since late 2000. These reforms must now be implemented.
Turkey’s carbon emissions are growing rapidly. They will grow even faster if coal use quadrupled by 2020, as the government expects. Air pollution is also a significant problem. Turkey has not signed the United Nations’ Climate Convention. But the government aims to comply with the general provisions of the Convention and to exploit the country’s energy efficiency potential. These efforts should be reinforced.
