President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday called on developed countries to take greater responsibility for cutting emissions and financing climate action, warning at the COP31 summit that failure to address the worsening climate crisis would leave future generations facing devastating consequences.
Speaking at the COP31 Business Forum held as part of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), Erdoğan stressed that countries historically responsible for the largest share of carbon emissions must lead global efforts to combat climate change while protecting the development rights of emerging economies.
"Developed countries that have exhausted the global carbon budget must assume greater responsibility for emissions reductions and financing," Erdoğan said.
He emphasized that developing nations should not be forced to sacrifice economic progress in the fight against climate change, urging stronger international support for communities most vulnerable to its effects.
"The development rights of developing countries must be protected, and communities bearing the heaviest burden of the climate crisis must receive strong support," he said.
Erdoğan warned that the alarming scale of the climate crisis demanded decisive and coordinated action worldwide, stressing that unilateral approaches would only deepen existing challenges.
"If countries act solely in their own interests, they will open the door to far greater difficulties and much more devastating disasters," he said.
The president also called on the private sector to play a more active role in addressing climate challenges, arguing that government action alone would not be sufficient.
"Such a universal struggle cannot succeed through the efforts of governments alone. The business community must also step up and shoulder its responsibility," Erdoğan said.
Highlighting Türkiye's commitment to sustainable development, Erdoğan reiterated the country's goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2053.
"As Türkiye, we have declared our 2053 target as net-zero emissions. We are resolutely continuing our green development journey," he said.
Erdoğan said the country was restructuring major sectors of its economy, including energy, industry, transportation, agriculture and buildings, as part of its transition toward a more sustainable economic model.
He also warned against prioritizing short-term economic gains over environmental protection, pointing to the long-lasting consequences of past decisions.
"The mistakes made 50 or 100 years ago are now confronting us one by one. If we repeat those mistakes today and sacrifice ecology for the sake of the economy, our children will pay the price," Erdoğan said.
Expressing confidence in Türkiye's ability to meet its environmental and economic objectives, the president said the country had demonstrated its capacity to translate ambitions into concrete achievements.
"Türkiye is a country skilled at turning dreams into goals and goals into reality," he said.
Erdoğan also highlighted Türkiye's regional position, saying the country had once again firmly demonstrated its role as an anchor of stability and security in recent months.
