AA photo.
Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum has urged countries to act on climate pledges and accelerate emissions cuts to keep the 1.5-degree warming goal within reach.
Kurum, the COP31 president-designate, made the call at a preparatory climate meeting in Fiji on Oct. 7. Türkiye will host the U.N. climate summit in Antalya from Nov. 9 to 20.
“When we come to Antalya, we want to discuss what we have done, not what we will do,” he said.
Kurum said exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming above preindustrial levels must not mean abandoning climate action. Decisions taken now could still limit the extent and duration of any overshoot and reduce future risks, he said.
He called for rapid emissions reductions, wider use of renewable energy and greater energy efficiency, alongside efforts to avoid dependence on high-carbon infrastructure.
Cutting emissions and adapting to climate change were complementary tasks, Kurum said, adding that Türkiye and Australia had developed COP31’s action agenda around implementing existing commitments.
He also urged countries to work together on climate finance, saying earlier decisions on access to funding needed to produce results. Supporting a just transition and helping vulnerable countries withstand climate impacts were essential to those efforts, he said.
Scientific findings must be translated into policies, investment and measurable results, Kurum added, calling on governments to fulfill the commitments they make at climate summits.
At the closing session, he said there would be no surprises or decisions imposed from above in Antalya, stressing that the summit must reflect a common international will. He also called for greater attention to the concerns of Pacific island nations and other countries facing the effects of climate change.
During his visit, Kurum held a three-way meeting with Australian Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen and European Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra.
