ANKARA, Turkey, July 23 (UPI) -- Ankara needs to embrace a long-term energy strategy that emphasizes sustainability and affordability, the executive director of the IEA said Friday in Ankara.
Nobuo Tanaka, executive director of the International Energy Agency, outlined a report on the energy sector in Turkey during meetings in Ankara.
The director said the Mediterranean country would likely see the fastest growth in energy demand among the 28 member states in the IEA, including the United States.
Turkey, Tanaka said in a statement Friday, imports nearly all of its oil and gas, and these imports are expected to double during the next 10 years.
The IEA called on Ankara to develop long-term goals to increase the amount of oil and natural gas held in storage facilities. The use of alternative energy like nuclear power, however, shows the country is headed in the right direction with some of its energy policies.
Though greenhouse gas emissions are expected to increase along with rising energy demand, the general consensus is that Turkey has made notable progress with its energy policies, the director said.
"The IEA acknowledges the role Turkey has played in improving global energy security," he added.
Turkey hosts portions of some of the most important oil and gas pipelines in the region.
