What happened
The Türkiye 24th International Coal Congress and Exhibition has begun in Zonguldak. The Zonguldak branch of the Chamber of Mining Engineers, part of TMMOB, is organising the event around the theme of coal’s future.
Opening speaker Nevzat Ünlü, chair of the congress executive committee, said that climate concerns, net-zero goals and restrictive policies do not match what he described as conditions on the ground. His central assessment was that coal consumption worldwide is continuing to rise, rather than showing a global downward trend.
Ünlü said renewable investment has accelerated, but put renewable sources’ contribution to primary energy at about 11–12%. He argued that, while renewables contribute to power generation, they cannot independently satisfy industrial, heating and raw-material requirements.
He also referred to coal prices in international markets at well above US$100, alongside electricity-generation costs. These points were presented as part of his case that coal retains an economic role.
Why it matters
The remarks set out an industry perspective on the pace and practical constraints of the energy transition. They also bring together questions of fuel pricing, electricity costs, industrial demand and energy-supply security in discussions about coal.
For sustainability and energy professionals, the key point is to distinguish the congress chair’s assessment from a policy announcement or an independently verified market forecast. The report records his views on demand, renewable energy and prices; it does not set out a new requirement or target.
Ünlü linked coal’s continuing relevance to geopolitical risks, regional conflicts and wider crises. He said these conditions reinforce the strategic value of domestic and dependable energy resources for countries.
What to watch
Readers assessing transition plans should monitor the congress debate alongside independently sourced data on primary-energy demand, renewable deployment, fuel prices and industrial energy needs. The available report identifies the event’s coal-future theme and Ünlü’s opening comments, but does not describe a decision taken at the congress.
