Türkiye has been a host of leaders from around the world and thousands of guests from all walks of life at the COP31 summit. After debates, panels and other events raising awareness of the dangers of climate change and how to combat the fallout, lawmakers will take the stage this time. Turkish parliament will organize the gathering of lawmakers from 55 countries in Antalya’s Belek on Monday for the event, held in cooperation with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Ankara intends COP31 to be an "implementation COP,” an occasion where countries and all actors involved finally take action rather than delivering promises often unfulfilled, and the implementation in democratic countries is possible only through parliaments approving critical decisions. The lawmakers’ summit will assess the efficiency and utilization of legislation, budget and inspection mechanisms in combating the impact of climate change.

Turkish Parliamentary Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş is expected to make a speech at the meeting, alongside IPU chair Milton Dick. COP31 chair and Minister of Environment, Urban Planning and Climate Change Murat Kurum is also scheduled to address the lawmakers. Other speakers include Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme and Daniele Violetti, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) senior director of the Programmes Coordination.

During the sessions, parliamentarians from Germany, Kenya, Fiji, Ghana, Togo, Egypt and the United Kingdom, among other countries, as well as scientists and representatives of international organizations, will share their experiences. Discussions will focus on translating global climate commitments into national action, ensuring the efficient use of resources under the Zero Waste Project, which has evolved into a global initiative under Türkiye’s leadership, reducing methane emissions and facilitating access to climate finance. Strengthening parliamentary oversight and promoting dialogue and cooperation among countries in the fight against climate change will also be addressed.

The draft outcome declaration, expected to be adopted at the meeting, will also feature prominently on the parliamentary agenda. Open to the views of IPU member parliaments, the draft builds on the achievements of previous COP parliamentary meetings held in Baku and Belem, while focusing on how the implementation of climate commitments can be monitored. It proposes supporting national climate targets with measurable indicators, implementation timelines and budgetary resources. Relevant parliamentary committees are expected to assess progress on national climate commitments and adaptation plans annually, drawing on existing reports, publish their findings and request responses from governments. The declaration also aims to ensure continued experience-sharing among parliaments through the IPU and review the implementation of its recommendations ahead of COP32. The goal is to establish a parliamentary roadmap for translating decisions made at climate negotiations into action at the national level through legislation, budgetary measures and oversight mechanisms.

The meeting, which will address the role of parliaments in combating climate change, will also highlight the Turkish parliament’s own institutional sustainability practices. The Environmental Management System has been in place at the parliament since 2014, while the Zero Waste Management System was introduced in 2018. Under the direction and with the support of Kurtulmuş, efforts are being carried out across parliament-owned buildings and facilities to reduce energy and water consumption, increase the use of renewable energy, recycle waste and ensure the efficient use of natural resources. As a result of energy, water and resource management measures implemented since 2023, the parliament has saved 2.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, 300,000 cubic meters of natural gas and 20,000 tons of water. These efforts are among the initiatives aimed at integrating environmental sustainability into the institutional management processes of public bodies.