As Türkiye prepares to host the COP31 in November in the southern city of Antalya, the government is moving to align its universities with the summit’s priorities by embedding climate policy into curricula, creating campus-based climate internship offices and steering students toward green entrepreneurship.
While climate and sustainability courses as such covering sustainable development and the green economy have already begun appearing in Turkish universities, authorities now want to systematize and expand this approach.
The initiative aims to ensure that climate change is treated not only as a technical or environmental issue, but as a cross-cutting policy challenge spanning law, economics, urban planning, agriculture and business.
To that end, the Environment Ministry will work jointly with the higher education body to develop a coordinated framework for climate-related higher education.
The goal is to integrate climate literacy into a wide range of disciplines rather than confining it to environmental engineering or natural sciences.
This mirrors recent changes at the primary education level, where environmental and climate education has been incorporated into national curricula.
A pillar of the plan is the creation of “climate and environment internship offices” within university campuses.
These offices are designed to connect students and recent graduates directly with municipalities, cooperatives and public institutions working on climate adaptation, sustainability and environmental management.
Officials say successful student projects could be supported through new mechanisms that help turn them into permanent employment opportunities or green start-ups.
Türkiye’s domestic push on climate education comes as it seeks to project itself as a constructive and inclusive actor in global climate governance.
After months of diplomatic deadlock with Australia over hosting rights, Ankara secured the 2026 summit through an unusual compromise reached during COP30 in Belem, Brazil.
Under the deal, Türkiye will host COP31 in Antalya, while Australia’s climate minister will serve as conference president, overseeing negotiations — a break from the tradition that the COP president comes from the host country.
Turkish officials have framed COP31 as part of a broader vision to elevate the country’s international profile while promoting “balanced dialogue” between developed and developing countries.
With nearly 200 delegations expected to attend, Antalya — and Istanbul for related meetings — is set to become a focal point of global climate diplomacy in 2026.
