As Türkiye prepares to host COP31 in November, the health problems caused by dependence on fossil fuels both within the country and across the Eastern Mediterranean pose a major economic burden. The comprehensive report published by the Energy and Clean Air Research Center (CREA) and the Clean Air Right Platform (THHP) reveals the dimensions of this burden. The results of the Heavy Cost of Fossil Fuels to Türkiye: Health Burden and Economic Cost report were announced at the press conference held in Istanbul today.
According to the research, 52 percent of air pollution (PM₂.₅) in Türkiye is caused by fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. The health effects of this pollution cost the Turkish economy approximately 55 billion dollars a year. This amount corresponds to 4.1 percent of the country's 2024 gross domestic product. The annual economic cost of fossil fuel pollution is approximately 2.5 times the Ministry of Health's entire 2024 budget.
Fossil fuel-related air pollution causes approximately 26,500 deaths annually in Türkiye, including deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, lung cancer, stroke and diabetes.
Dependence on fossil fuels increases Türkiye's economic burden exponentially. Türkiye, which is largely dependent on imports of fossil fuels, becomes vulnerable to international price shocks. As a matter of fact, according to the data announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute, the energy import bill during the Hormuz crisis increased by 33.8 percent in August 2026, compared to the same month of the previous year.
However, PM₂.₅ pollution also affects the health and workforce productivity of employees. The report emphasizes that in Türkiye, approximately 8.5 million days a year are spent away from work due to illness.
In addition, the Border Carbon Regulation Mechanism (SKDM) of the European Union, Türkiye's largest trading partner, also creates additional costs for Turkish exporters operating in carbon-intensive sectors. The biggest source of carbon emissions is fossil fuels.
According to 2024 data, coal provides 35 percent of Türkiye's electricity production and natural gas provides 19 percent. 66 percent of the energy consumed in road transportation comes from diesel, 17 percent from LPG and 16 percent from gasoline. The share of electricity remains at 0.2 percent. In industry, fossil fuels account for approximately 60 percent of final energy consumption.
CREA Analyst and lead author of the report, Vera Tattari, evaluated the findings of the research as follows: "Our research shows that Türkiye's fossil fuel-related air pollution exceeds the country's borders. Land-based fossil fuel emissions lead to thousands of deaths and billions of dollars of economic losses in both Western Asia and Europe. Behind these figures are people and families living with the consequences of polluted air. As COP31 approaches, Turkey takes climate leadership by committing to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels to protect the health and economic well-being of the people of the region." "It can be put forward with concrete steps."
Transboundary air pollution caused by land-based fossil fuel emissions in Türkiye leads to thousands of deaths in all five countries in the region.
THHP Coordinator Deniz Gümüşel said, "By preparing and implementing a road map to exit fossil fuels, Turkey can manage to reduce the burden of this energy type on health and economy. The first of the concrete steps to be taken is not to allow new coal-fired power plants, such as the expansion projects in Afşin Elbistan A and Cenal power plants, in electricity production. The second urgent step should be to close the existing power plants in the shortest possible term within a fair plan that secures the economic, social and health rights of workers and the people of the region. In order to cope with the climate crisis." This is mandatory: As COP31 President and Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum recently stated, 'It is necessary to move away from fossil fuels in a fair, orderly and equitable manner'."
Speaking at the panel held after the report was announced, Public Health Specialist and THHP Executive Board Member Prof. Dr. Çiğdem Çağlayan said, "The negative effects on health are seen even in the womb and in babies. Every year, approximately 8 thousand premature births, 8 thousand 200 babies are born with low birth weight, 5 thousand 100 new cases of asthma in children and 6 thousand 500 emergency service applications due to asthma are attributed to air pollution." "They should be handled in terms of public health and recognized as harmful products. The effects of fossil fuels on human health and the economic costs they cause require urgent steps to be taken on this issue. The incentives provided by states to fossil fuel companies should be terminated; concrete and effective policies that protect public health and reduce dependence on fossil fuels should be implemented."
On the other hand, Sabancı University Istanbul Policy Center Climate Change Studies Coordinator Dr. stated that COP31 is viewed as one of the most important climate summits due to geopolitical crises. Ümit Şahin noted the following in the panel: "Undertaking the presidency and hosting of the summit puts the responsibility on Türkiye to lead the way on the climate issue and move its own climate policies forward. In order to achieve the goal of increasing the share of electricity in global final energy consumption to 35 percent by 2035, it is necessary to increase the share of renewable energy and reduce the use of fossil fuels."
