Speaking at the Leaders Summit of COP31 in southern Türkiye’s Antalya on Wednesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the world was going through one of the worst existential crises and he hoped that the event would be a turning point in the battle against climate change.
"We have no other sky, no seas, no forests but humanity is going through one of the worst existential crises. From ecological devastation to serious climate incidents, we face significant challenges. We will either complain from difficulties or cling to hope and take action, we choose lighting a candle instead of shaking fist at the darkness," he said.
"Climate financing should be more accessible, predictable and cater to the needs," he also said.
Erdoğan also touched upon "ecocide" in Gaza under Israeli occupation. "Gaza was exposed both to genocide and ecocide, century-old olive trees were cut down, soil and water was polluted, cities were razed to the ground," he said.
The summit brings world leaders, negotiators and climate experts together as Türkiye seeks to move international climate commitments toward practical implementation and measurable results.
The summit, running from Nov. 9-20, comes as countries face mounting pressure to reduce emissions, strengthen resilience to extreme weather and mobilize the funding needed to protect vulnerable communities. Türkiye aims to make COP31 an “Implementation COP,” focusing on areas ranging from clean energy and climate-resilient cities to food and water security, industrial transformation and ocean protection.
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