Türkiye is stepping up its climate diplomacy ahead of COP31, with Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum holding 36 international engagements as the country prepares to host the U.N. climate conference for the first time, ministry officials said.
Kurum, who serves as COP31 president, has participated in 14 international summits, forums and ministerial meetings, as well as 10 technical and institutional events linked to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. He has also held 12 visits and special meetings to promote Türkiye’s priorities for the conference.
COP31 is scheduled for Nov. 9-20 at the EXPO site in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya, where Türkiye is preparing to welcome representatives from more than 190 countries.
Türkiye secured the COP31 presidency and hosting rights following negotiations at COP30 in Brazil last year in a deal with Australia, where it will lead discussions, with the decision backed by 196 countries.
Ankara has framed its presidency around the concept of an “implementation COP,” seeking to shift the focus from climate pledges toward concrete and measurable action.
One of Kurum’s first major diplomatic stops was the 17th Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin on April 21. During meetings there, he stressed the need for countries to translate their climate commitments into tangible and measurable steps.
Kurum later attended the Copenhagen Ministerial Consultations on May 20, where he met Australian Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen to discuss cooperation and preparations for COP31.
Türkiye presented its “COP31 Action Agenda” at the Bonn Climate Change Conference in Germany on June 8, outlining the priorities that will shape its presidency months before the Antalya summit.
The agenda identifies 10 priority areas, including zero waste, clean energy transition and electrification, food security, climate-resilient cities, oceans and seas, youth and education, resilient health systems and green industrialization.
Among its goals are raising the global electrification rate to 35% by 2035, halving the growth in waste generation and reducing energy-use intensity in buildings by at least 25%.
Türkiye plans to continue its diplomatic outreach in the months leading up to COP31, including at Baku Climate Week, the Istanbul Finance Summit, the Trabzon Ocean Conference and high-level meetings during the U.N. General Assembly and New York Climate Week in September.
A key preparatory Pre-COP meeting will be held in Fiji from Oct. 5-8.
