What happened
SHURA Energy Transition Center and the International Network of Energy Transition Think Tanks (INETTT) hosted a COP31 panel on 10 November at the Türkiye Pavilion in the Green Zone. The session examined industrial decarbonisation alongside sustainable development.
Participants considered how national industrial policy could be connected to climate goals, trade considerations and domestic development priorities. The agenda also covered support for green industrialisation and the scope for cooperation across countries.
Yael Taranto, senior energy analyst at SHURA, chaired the discussion. Panellists were Kezban Akkurt of Türkiye’s Ministry of Industry and Technology; Değer Saygın, industry team lead at the OECD; Simone Klein of Brazil’s E+ Energy Transition Institute; and Fabian Barrera of Agora Industry.
Why it matters
For businesses and policymakers, the discussion underlined the need to consider competitiveness, environmental performance and industrial energy demand together. Readers assessing transition plans should examine how investment choices and sector strategies correspond with climate objectives and national policy priorities.
Taranto said Türkiye’s net-zero pathway depends not only on cleaner energy supply but also on managing industry’s energy requirements while supporting economic development. She highlighted the potential importance of raising the production share of medium-high- and high-technology industries, deepening links with international value chains and increasing value added in areas including chemicals and metals.
The discussion treated industrial policy as a means of supporting emerging industries, expanding local value creation and creating more skilled employment. INETTT policy and network manager Corinna Fürst said approaches need to reflect differing national circumstances and needs.
International cooperation
Speakers discussed how international collaboration can reinforce domestic industrial policies. The panel also considered the Belém Global Green Industrialisation Declaration, adopted at COP30, in relation to shared responsibilities and cooperation.
According to İklim Haber, the exchange brought together country experiences and policy approaches on using industrial policy to support development while accelerating decarbonisation. It addressed investment priorities, climate alignment for industrial transformation and international competitiveness.
What to watch
The session points to continued policy attention on where industrial investment is directed, how energy demand is managed and how international cooperation supports national transition strategies. Its relevance will be greatest for companies in energy-intensive sectors and those considering higher-value, technology-led production.
