OMM Redaksiyası
Türkiye will host the 31st UN Climate Change Conference, or COP31, in Antalya from Nov. 9-20, 2026, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a high-level climate meeting convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Erdogan said Türkiye wants the summit to focus on implementing climate decisions, according to Anadolu Agency.
“Last year, you will remember, I stated here that Türkiye was bidding to host COP31. This year, we will hold COP31 in Antalya from Nov. 9-20, 2026,” Erdogan said.
Climate policies should reflect national circumstances
The Turkish president said climate policies must take account of countries’ social and economic conditions. He warned that proposals inconsistent with climate goals and domestic realities would be unlikely to succeed.
“Any proposal that we cannot reconcile with our climate targets and social and economic realities will be doomed to failure,” he said.
Erdogan also argued that countries should not be expected to advance at the same pace while disparities remain in access to financing and technology.
“As inequalities in access to financing and technology persist, it is not realistic to expect all countries to progress at the same speed,” he said.
Linking climate action with development
Erdogan underlined the connection between climate measures, development and prosperity, saying this link was essential to making a just transition lasting.
“To the extent that we can establish a strong link between climate targets and development and prosperity, we can also make a just transition permanent,” he said.
Guterres convened the meeting to discuss speeding up a just and orderly shift to renewable energy, securing affordable financing and investment for developing countries, and strengthening adaptation and resilience as climate risks increase.
