20 Jul 2020 TURKISH PEOPLE FAVOR FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN RENEWABLE ENERGY
A survey of public opinion on foreign investments was conducted with the purpose of comprehending the public’s view on foreign investments in Türkiye, South Africa, Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam, and the Philippines prior to the second Belt and Road International Cooperation Forum to be held in China.
The independent climate change think-tank E3G commissioned the research company YouGov to poll 1.000 participants from each country. 475 women and 525 men from various parts of Türkiye have responded.
According to the responses, 86% of the Turkish community was revealed to favor renewable energy investments for long-term development. In addition, 92% of the participants stated that foreign investments should be directed to renewable energy resources.
On the other hand, 11% of the respondents support fossil resources for long-term development.
Solar stood out as the most favorable energy resource in Türkiye. 83% of the participants stated that they would give priority to solar for the government to encourage investment, while 76% would prioritize wind energy.
66% of the respondents stated that renewable energy investments would make a positive impact on the Turkish economy in the long-term. 62% stated that renewables would prevent water and air pollution while 57% stated that these investments would mitigate climate change.
56% of the respondents stated that coal investments contribute to both water and air pollution while 46% stated they accelerate climate change.
Dr. Yang Fuqiang, the National Resources Defense Council senior adviser on Climate and Energy of the China Program, acknowledged that Türkiye is very rich in terms of renewable energy resources and invests actively in this field.
Stating that both China and Türkiye regard renewable energy as the main source of energy for the future, Fuqiang added:
“China’s renewable energy technologies are more advanced and production costs are very low. I believe China can cooperate with Türkiye, especially in the field of renewable energy. China can support renewable energy equipment manufacturing in Türkiye and can introduce Chinese technology through joint ventures. China can also invest in renewable energy project development in Türkiye. Given in-depth cooperation in technology, business models, investments and policies, there is great potential for energy conservation and environmental protection.”
Source: AA