Türkiye’s COP31 presidency will focus on turning climate commitments into concrete action, according to Kasım Yenigün, director general of the General Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion at the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) on the sidelines of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Yenigün discussed Türkiye’s preparations for COP31, which will be held in Antalya in November.
Yenigün described 2026 as a "triple COP year,” as U.N. conferences on biodiversity, desertification and climate change are being held consecutively.
He noted that Türkiye is a party to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
While the climate change conference is held annually, conferences on desertification and biodiversity are held every two years.
Yenigün said the other two conferences were particularly important this year because Türkiye is hosting COP31. He added that Türkiye is working with Australia on negotiations while also preparing a broad action agenda for the climate conference.
The agenda includes issues ranging from zero waste and electrification to climate bridges, Rio synergy and seas and oceans.
Yenigün said Türkiye had made comprehensive preparations for COP17, with government officials and representatives of Turkish institutions holding bilateral meetings with officials from other countries at the Türkiye Pavilion in the conference’s Blue Zone.
He said the pavilion had attracted significant attention due to Türkiye’s COP31 presidency.
"There is very strong interest in Türkiye due to our COP31 presidency,” Yenigün said, adding that heads of state, ministers, delegations, civil society organizations, international organizations and academics had visited the pavilion.
He said the visitors were particularly interested in Türkiye’s experience and expertise in addressing environmental challenges.
Türkiye promotes Rio synergy
Yenigün also highlighted "Rio synergy,” one of the priorities under the COP31 Action Agenda.
The initiative aims to help turn commitments under the three Rio conventions on climate change, desertification and biodiversity into concrete action.
"Türkiye is taking a very important step on Rio synergy this year,” Yenigün said.
He explained that Türkiye was bringing together commitments under the three conventions, which had largely remained at the pledge stage, through a working group and would introduce the initiative internationally at COP17.
Yenigün said Türkiye’s relevant institutions serve as focal points for the three conventions. The General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks focuses on biodiversity, the Directorate of Climate Change on climate change and the General Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion on desertification.
He said the institutions had developed projects and practices that could serve as examples internationally.
Participants at COP17 had shown strong interest in Antalya and the objectives of COP31, Yenigün said, with many expressing their intention to attend the conference.
He said Türkiye was carrying out intensive preparations ahead of the November event.
"COP31 will be a very different meeting, a very different conference. It will be a COP where we will see commitments beginning to turn into action, beyond expectations,” Yenigün said.