If digital expansion outpaces clean energy growth, emissions could rise rather than fall.

The integration of artificial intelligence into public administration has become a central component of digital governance reform in Türkiye. The government has established a formal policy framework to guide this transformation through the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2021–2025, which sets out a national roadmap for embedding AI across public institutions. The strategy aims to enhance the effectiveness and responsiveness of government by strengthening public services, improving data governance, and supporting evidence-based decision-making. It identifies several priority areas for implementation, including the development of smart-city systems, the expansion of public data analytics capacity, the modernization of digital public services, and the incorporation of AI-enabled policy design and evaluation tools. 

The 2026 Presidential Annual Program marks a significant shift in how Türkiye conceptualizes the relationship between technological development and state capacity. Rather than being treated as a sector-specific innovation tool, the program presents AI as a cross-cutting capability embedded across core domains of state activity, including fiscal administration, customs and risk management, health-care delivery, agricultural planning, social security systems, public communication platforms, workforce training, and defense planning. 

 

In environmental management, municipal authorities are working to apply AI to air-quality monitoring, urban green-space management, and early-warning systems for wildfires and extreme weather events. Particularly in major metropolitan municipalities such as Istanbul and Ankara, municipal authorities are developing and deploying AI-supported systems to manage traffic flows, monitor infrastructure performance, and improve public-transport operations. Intelligent traffic management solutions are being designed to analyze real-time vehicle density, weather conditions, and incident data. These efforts aim not only to improve urban mobility but also to reduce fuel consumption and associated air pollution. Municipalities are also developing tools to monitor water distribution networks for leaks, optimize waste-collection logistics, and manage energy use in public facilities. Predictive maintenance applications are being introduced to detect early signs of infrastructure stress, enabling preventive repairs that lower costs and strengthen resilience. 

Türkiye is increasingly hosting international scientific and policy events, such as the planned one in Fethiye in August 2026, specifically focused on AI-powered environmental monitoring.

Türkiye’s current data center capacity is around 250 MW, accounting for less than 0.5% of national electricity consumption. However, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s 2025 AI strategy sets an ambitious target, i.e., 1 GW of capacity by 2030, supported by over $10 billion in investment. Energy Minister Bayraktar notes that Türkiye’s energy demand is projected to triple over the next three decades, with actual growth likely to exceed current estimates due to emerging technologies. Factors including artificial intelligence, data centers, and cooling requirements are not yet fully captured in existing forecasts.

This creates a paradox for climate policy. On one hand, AI can strengthen Türkiye’s ability to meet its Paris Agreement goals. Advanced analytics improve emissions tracking, smart-grid systems help integrate renewable energy, and predictive modelling supports climate risk management in agriculture, water, and urban planning. Nevertheless, the same technology that improves climate governance also drives energy demand. If digital expansion outpaces clean energy growth, emissions could rise rather than fall.

This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard, Türkiye Country Manager, İpek Taşgın.

Learn More Resources

1. National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2021 – 2025 – Türkiye https://cbddo.gov.tr/SharedFolderServer/Genel/File/TRNationalAIStrategy2021-2025.pdf 
2. 2026 Presidential Annual Program – Türkiye https://www.sbb.gov.tr/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2026-Yili-Cumhurbaskanligi-Yillik-Programi.pdf 
3. https://www.setav.org/en/turkiyes-2026-ai-strategy-and-the-logic-of-middle-power-autonomy 
4. https://www.turkiyetoday.com/business/turkiye-projects-energy-demand-to-triple-as-ai-and-data-centers-drive-consumption-3213491?s=1 
5. https://conferencealerts.co.in/event/100753022#:~:text=Objective%20of%20the%20Conference,August%202026%20at%20Fethiye%2C%20Turkey.