Environment minister says COP31 in Antalya to open new era of climate cooperation

BERLIN

German Minister for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Carsten Schneider (R) and Turkey's Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum arrive to give a press conference at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue (PCD) conference, on April 21, 2026 at the Westhafen Convention Center (WECC) in Berlin. (AFP)

Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum said on April 21 that COP31 in Antalya should mark the start of a new era of global cooperation and partnership on climate action, with an approach in which “no one is left behind.”

Kurum was speaking at the opening of the 17th Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, held on April 21-22 ahead of the U.N. climate summit that Türkiye will host in Antalya on Nov. 9-20.

Kurum said overlapping global crises and the climate emergency had made multilateral cooperation more necessary, and argued that recent disruptions in energy supply had shown fossil fuels do not guarantee energy security.

He said countries needed to diversify their energy mix and speed up investment in clean energy to improve stability and resilience.

Outlining Türkiye’s own energy targets, Kurum said the country had tripled renewable energy production over the past decade and attracted more than $10 billion in investment since 2022, with another $20 billion targeted by 2030.

He said Türkiye planned to add at least 8 gigawatts of renewable capacity each year until 2035, and also said it had approved more energy storage capacity since the 2022 energy crisis than all EU countries combined.

As COP31 president-designate, Kurum said Türkiye wanted to institutionalize the process and deliver a results-oriented summit based on “dialogue, compromise and action.”

He listed nine priority areas for the presidency, including zero waste and the circular economy, clean and secure energy supply, industrial decarbonization, protection of oceans and ecosystems, food security, climate-resilient agriculture, resilient cities and youth participation.

He also said developed countries must meet their climate finance commitments and called for stronger backing for the Green Climate Fund and the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.

Kurum urged stakeholders to align with the “Baku to Belém Roadmap,” the process launched to help mobilize $1.3 trillion a year in climate finance for developing countries by 2035.

Kurum said Türkiye and Australia shared a common vision for COP31 and were working in close coordination, with Türkiye hosting the summit and Australia leading the negotiations under the agreed partnership model.

He said Antalya was intended to host a summit built on broad cooperation and inclusivity.

He also pointed to Türkiye’s post-earthquake rebuilding drive as part of his emphasis on climate-resilient cities, saying the country’s experience should be shared more widely.

Turkish authorities have previously said more than 455,000 housing units were delivered across the earthquake zone after the Feb. 6, 2023 quakes.