What happened
Greenpeace activists held a protest close to Cengiz Holding’s CENAL coal-fired power station in Karabiga, Çanakkale. The action opposed a proposed 1,050 MW additional generating unit and drew attention to the project ahead of COP31 in Antalya.
According to Greenpeace Türkiye, Cengiz Holding has initiated an environmental impact assessment process for the proposed unit. The group said the existing CENAL facility uses imported coal.
The issue has particular visibility because Cengiz Holding is named as a Sustainable Transformation Partner for COP31. The UN climate conference is set to begin in Antalya on 9 November, with Türkiye hosting and chairing it.
Why it matters
The protest places a proposed coal development alongside the policy debate expected at COP31, where a fair move away from fossil fuels is a central demand of campaigners. Greenpeace Türkiye argues that the planned expansion conflicts with that direction and with the company’s conference partnership role.
Greenpeace also said Çanakkale already has five thermal power plants. It raised concerns that the proposed units could add pollution pressure to the Marmara Sea, where mucilage remains a concern, and threaten Mediterranean monk seal habitats.
For sustainability and energy professionals, the case is a reminder that corporate involvement in climate events can bring heightened scrutiny of associated assets, investment plans and environmental assessment processes. Stakeholders will need to follow the proposed unit’s assessment record and disclosures around COP31 partnerships.
What comes next
Greenpeace Türkiye says it will continue calling for an exit from coal as COP31 approaches. Its campaign links the energy transition to the interests of communities affected by coal pollution, workers facing insecurity in a declining sector, marine ecosystems and protected species.
No further project decision was reported in the available information. The next material developments will be any updates to the environmental assessment process and the conference’s treatment of coal transition issues.
