Türkiye Briefed the UN on Its Preparations for COP31
Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change and Designated President of COP31, provided information on the preparations for the COP31 summit to be held in Antalya in November in a letter addressed to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
In his letter, Murat Kurum stated that Türkiye will act in line with the work and outcomes of previous COP summits, including the COP30 Belém outcomes, and noted that he is working in close cooperation with Azerbaijan and Brazil, the hosts of previous summits.
In his letter, Mr. Kurum recalled that, in accordance with the Türkiye-Australia Partnership Procedures, His Excellency Chris Bowen, Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, had been appointed as Chair of the COP31 Negotiations, and noted that priorities for the negotiations and how progress would be made on all agenda items would be shared in the coming weeks.
In his letter, Mr. Kurum also shared that the World Leaders’ Summit—previously planned to be held in Istanbul—will now take place in Antalya on November 11–12.
Mr. Kurum added that the COP Pre-Conference will be held in the Republic of Fiji from October 5–8, 2026, and will include a leaders’ event in Tuvalu.
Action will be guided by the principles of Dialogue, Consensus, and Action
In his letter, Murat Kurum stated that the COP31 summit will be guided by three fundamental principles, which he listed as Dialogue, Consensus, and Action.
Mr. Kurum stated that the principle of dialogue would strengthen participation and help build trust among the parties; the principle of consensus would ensure ownership of the outcomes and respect for each country’s unique circumstances; and the principle of action would ensure that commitments are transformed into concrete, balanced, and implementable outcomes.
Murat Kurum noted that Türkiye’s COP31 Action Agenda priorities are based on a holistic approach aimed at accelerating the implementation of global climate action and translating decisions into concrete and measurable results. He listed the areas of focus under the agenda’s six pillars as follows:
• Strengthening the zero-waste and circular economy approach,
• Accelerating the transition to clean energy,
• Supporting green and low-carbon industrialization,
• Enhancing the resilience of vulnerable regions, oceans, and seas,
• Supporting food security and developing sustainable agricultural systems,
• Promoting climate-resilient and sustainable cities,
• Strengthening financial and institutional mechanisms that support climate action,
• Increasing the active participation of young people,
• Promoting cross-sectoral action to jointly address climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation.
The institution also emphasized that this focused approach reflects a holistic perspective encompassing resource efficiency, energy security, renewable energy, nature-based solutions, sustainable water use, disaster-resilient infrastructure, local climate action, and multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Murat Kurum underscored that Türkiye aims to mobilize finance, technology, and partnerships through the COP31 summit and local and regional initiatives to support global climate goals—particularly by advancing climate action in alignment with sustainable development while developing practical and scalable solutions for vulnerable regions.
Noting that Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation, had been appointed as the COP31 High-Level Climate Champion to accelerate the implementation of the Action Agenda, Murat Kurum also announced that Sally Higgins had been appointed as the Youth Climate Champion alongside Chris Bowen, Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy.
Names of those who will serve in the summit’s management have been determined
In his letter, Murat Kurum also announced the names of those who will serve in the summit’s management.
According to the letter, Fatma Varank, Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, will serve as COP31 CEO and will coordinate and oversee COP31’s overall strategic framework, the content of the process and the Action Agenda, preparations for international negotiations, interagency coordination, and venue planning.
Ömer Bulut, Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, will be responsible for construction and infrastructure and will ensure that conference venues and logistical infrastructure are prepared on time, in full, and to the highest standards.
Burak Demiralp, Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, will be responsible for operational and logistical processes, including venue management.
Head of Climate Change Prof. Dr. Halil Hasar will serve as Chief Climate Diplomacy Officer within the executive structure of the COP31 Presidency.
As Director of the COP31 Presidency Office, Mehmet Ali Kahraman will be responsible for coordinating processes related to the Presidency’s program.