Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum announced that the important climate summit will be held in Türkiye, stating:"Hundreds of bilateral meetings, climate-focused visits to dozens of countries, days of diplomatic negotiations. And finally, Turkey is the President and Host of COP31!"
With this historic responsibility, we are starting our most meaningful marathon for our common home, our world, from today onwards.
In line with the 2053 Net Zero Emissions Target and the green transformation vision set forth by our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we will implement a fair, inclusive, participatory, and transparent process.
With the Zero Waste mobilization, which has become a global environmental movement today, we will continue to make extremely important contributions to the future of our common home, the world, under the patronage of Ms. Emine Erdoğan.
As is the case with all matters concerning our country and the world, Türkiye will once again be the address of trust, hope, and the future.
I hope that this decision will be beneficial for all parties, our region, and the global climate struggle.
CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE CONCLUDES IN BRAZIL
The 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) concluded in Belem, Brazil. Turkey was represented at the conference by Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. The diplomatic flow that began with Turkey's announcement of its 2022 presidential candidacy concluded this week following five days of negotiations in Belem. All parties reached an agreement that the COP31 Conference of the Parties would be held in Turkey next year, with Turkey assuming the COP31 Presidency and Australia chairing the negotiations. The decision was reached to hold the pre-COP in a Pacific Rim country. The consensus text was approved by the Western European and Others (WEOG) group under the United Nations umbrella, which includes Turkey.
"A MORE FAIR, MORE INCLUSIVE DIPLOMACY" GOAL
Turkey secured its hosting position with the goal of "a more fair and inclusive diplomacy in which no country is left behind." Turkey will host the COP, the UN's most important organization in the fight against climate change, for the first time, bringing together leaders from 196 countries in Turkey. The province where the Leaders' Summit and COP31 will be held will be clarified in the coming period.
ANTALYA TARGET FOR COP31
Minister Kurum had previously announced that Turkey aims to host COP31 in Antalya. Minister Kurum noted that Antalya stands out with its transportation and accommodation options, noting that it had previously successfully hosted the G20 Summit. The COP31 Leaders' Summit is planned to be held in Istanbul.
NEGOTIATIONS WITH AUSTRALIA
Minister Kurum stated that Turkey, due to its location in the Mediterranean basin, is one of the countries deeply affected by climate change. He emphasized that while its historical responsibility for climate change is much less compared to other developed countries, Turkey has implemented decisive climate action. Emphasizing Turkey's role as a global actor in the fight against climate change, Minister Kurum emphasized Turkey's readiness to share this experience and lead in multilateral climate diplomacy. Minister Kurum stated that Turkey is resolutely advancing toward the 2053 Net Zero Emissions Target with its Climate Law, Zero Waste Movement, circular economy models, and diverse renewable energy sources, setting an example in this area.
WHAT IS THE COP?
The COP, held annually with the participation of 197 countries, determines countries' greenhouse gas reduction targets, adaptation policies, climate finance, loss-damage mechanisms, and the rules of carbon markets. The term"Parties" in the "Conference of the Parties" (COP) held under the auspices of the United Nations refers to the countries that signed the first UN Climate Agreement in 1992. As the highest decision-making body of the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the COP plays a crucial role in determining mechanisms to combat the global climate crisis. The first of these summits, which bring together the countries party to the convention, was held in Berlin, Germany, in 1995.
Last year, Azerbaijan, from the Eastern European group, hosted the summit. This year, Brazil, from the Latin American and Caribbean group, hosted the summit.
