Türkiye to showcase local climate projects at COP31

ANKARA

Türkiye plans to present local climate projects at next month’s COP31 summit in Antalya, Climate Change Directorate head Halil Hasar said on Oct. 15.

Speaking at the opening of the Ankara Climate Transition Forum, Hasar stressed the need for early warning systems and scientific data to help local authorities prepare for changing climate conditions.

“One neighborhood is facing a heat wave, while another is dealing with rain and flooding,” he said.

Hasar called for collective action and said preventive measures could reduce the costs of responding to climate impacts. A pilot project in Antalya would demonstrate these efforts at COP31, he added.

The two-day forum brings together municipalities, representatives of the European Union and U.N. Development Program, international financial institutions and scientists. It aims to identify local initiatives for presentation at the conference, supporting the presidency’s emphasis on implementation.

Türkiye recorded its hottest year in 2024 and its driest since 1964 in 2025, according to official meteorological data. Precipitation last year was 27.6 percent below the 1991–2020 average.

COP31 will take place in Antalya on Nov. 9–20. Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum is the conference’s president-designate.