Erdoğan calls Antalya summit ‘turning point’ in climate fight

NEW YORK

This photo shows the COP31 promotional posters featuring President Erdoğan at Turkish House (Türkevi) in New York. (AA Photo)

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sept. 24 that the upcoming COP31 summit in Antalya will be a key turning point in global efforts to address climate change, highlighting the need for greater support for developing countries.

The summit, scheduled for November in the southern Turkish resort city, would provide an important platform for developing countries to voice their concerns, outline their expectations and seek concrete outcomes, Erdoğan told journalists at the Turkish House in New York.

“At COP31, we will present our measures and road maps and explain what we plan to do to combat the negative effects of climate change across different regions,” Erdoğan said.

The president addressed the U.N. General Assembly and delivered a separate speech on climate change during his visit to New York.

“Earth is our home, and protecting it from pollution is our duty,” he said. “COP31 is not just a climate conference, but a platform where developing countries can make their voices heard, put forward their expectations and discuss concrete results.”

Erdoğan called for greater financial support for countries struggling to meet the costs of climate change, saying developed nations have a responsibility to support them.

“Fighting climate change now requires action, not words,” he said.

He also highlighted the global nature of climate-related disasters, citing wildfires, floods and droughts as threats that transcend national borders.

“Disasters know no borders. Fires, floods and droughts do not distinguish between countries,” Erdoğan said. “We must also remove borders in order to solve these problems.”

He said Türkiye’s hosting of COP31 would carry a historic mission and expressed hope that the summit would mark an important stage in global climate efforts.

“I believe the COP31 summit we will hold in Antalya will be an important turning point on this long journey,” Erdoğan said.

During his speech a climate event on Sept. 23 at U.N. headquarters on the sidelines of the General Assembly, Erdoğan said countries must align climate goals with their economic and social realities.

“Any proposal that we cannot reconcile with our climate targets and social and economic realities will be doomed to failure,” Erdoğan said.

Türkiye will host COP31 from Nov. 9-20 in Antalya, with Australia leading the formal negotiations under an arrangement agreed between the two countries.

Erdoğan said Türkiye was preparing the summit as an “implementation COP,” focused on translating climate decisions into concrete action.

He also highlighted electrification and zero-waste initiatives, saying new targets had been set for the period leading to 2035.

The president said climate policies should be linked to development and prosperity to make a just transition sustainable.

“While inequalities in access to financing and technology continue, it is not realistic to expect all countries to progress at the same pace,” he said.