Turkcell Brings Its Climate Pitch to COP31

Turkcell will present its renewable-energy investments and efficiency targets at COP31 as a sector partner. The company’s plan puts corporate technology at the center of a climate discussion about electricity, data and emissions. Its announcement names investment, digital infrastructure and international cooperation, but doesn’t identify grassroots organizers or community-led energy projects.

A company’s climate ledger

Turkcell CEO Ali Taha Koç said the summit offers a chance to turn climate commitments into investment. “Climate targets must be translated into investments that deliver cleaner energy and more efficient production,” Koç said. He described Turkcell’s approach as “more bits, fewer watts.” The company is expanding digital infrastructure while using energy more efficiently.

Turkcell reports active renewable-energy capacity of 115.45 megawatts and says it uses solar power at more than 2,400 base station sites. Renewable energy certificates cover all its electricity consumption, including at data centers. The company aims to raise installed renewable capacity to 300 megawatts by the end of 2026.

These are company figures and targets, presented as part of a strategy Turkcell plans to discuss at the summit. The announcement says Turkcell is the only telecommunications and technology operator in Türkiye with greenhouse-gas reduction targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. It also reports an A rating in CDP’s Supplier Engagement Assessment for sustainable supply-chain management.

Efficiency, measured in watts

Turkcell says its “more bits, fewer watts” approach is intended to handle rising data traffic without a matching increase in energy use. In 2025, it reduced energy consumption per unit of data traffic across its group by approximately 23% and cut overall energy consumption by 7.3%. Its 5G network uses intelligent sleep modes that, according to the company, deliver up to 85% energy savings per gigabyte. Artificial intelligence-supported systems help manage network energy use.

The company says it is also improving energy and water efficiency at its LEED Gold-certified data centers. In 2025, Turkcell issued a $500 million sustainability bond to support transition initiatives. The announcement doesn’t say how the funding will be allocated among projects or name communities involved in setting those priorities.

At COP31, Turkcell plans to join sessions on digital infrastructure and the shift to cleaner energy. Discussions will cover connectivity, energy efficiency, renewable energy and technologies that may help businesses reduce their environmental footprint. Countries are seeking to raise electricity’s share of the global energy mix to 35% by 2035, according to the article.

The people beyond the pitch

Koç said Türkiye’s hosting of COP31 would create a platform for international climate cooperation and encourage businesses to turn environmental commitments into measurable action. Turkcell’s net-zero emissions target is 2050. Its summit presentation will cover current investments, the strategy behind its reported achievements and future sustainability objectives.

The company also lists four initiatives: Eğitime Dönüştür, Zeka Gücü, Geleceği Yazanlar and Dijital Bahar. Turkcell says these programs aim to build environmental awareness, strengthen young people’s digital skills, widen access to emerging technologies across age groups and promote equal opportunity in the digital world. The announcement presents them as part of the company’s sustainability work, but offers no participant numbers or outcome measures. For now, COP31’s climate account here runs through corporate targets, certificates, networks and investment—not the voices of people meant to benefit.