The simulation will take place on Yassıada Island, officially known as the Democracy and Liberties Island, situated in the Sea of Marmara. (AA photo)
Two hundred young delegates from Türkiye and abroad will gather in Istanbul for a six-day simulation of U.N. climate negotiations, as Türkiye prepares to host COP31, organizers have said.
NextGenCOP30.5, organized by the Cemre Foundation in partnership with the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry, in cooperation with Istanbul Technical University and with support from the University of Cambridge, will run from Aug. 27 to Sept. 1 on Democracy and Freedoms Island.
Participants, including students from Cambridge and Oxford universities, will be divided into six negotiating blocs reflecting the economic and political interests represented in U.N. climate talks. They will negotiate emissions reductions and the energy transition, climate finance and loss and damage, and adaptation and resilience.
The simulation aims to give young people practical experience of climate diplomacy, including defending national interests, building coalitions, managing red lines and making concessions under pressure. Unexpected climate-crisis scenarios will also force delegates to reassess positions and seek new alliances.
“We do not want young people to watch the climate debate from the sidelines. We are inviting them to take their seats at the table,” said Furkan Gökgöz, chairman of the Cemre Foundation.
The event will also promote Türkiye’s “Zero Waste” vision. As part of its sustainability program, organizers will implement food and energy-saving measures, ban single-use plastics and use digital documentation. Participant badges will be made from seed paper that can be returned to nature.
The official opening on Aug. 28 is scheduled to include Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister and COP31 President Murat Kurum. Sessions will cover climate finance, the circular economy, sustainable agriculture, climate technology, entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence in climate solutions. Academics from Istanbul Technical University, Bogazici University and Cambridge are also expected to participate.
The simulation will conclude with a plenary vote on a common text, the “Antalya Agreement.” Adoption will require support from at least four of the six blocs, replicating the coalition-building and compromise required in multilateral climate negotiations.
Alongside the negotiation-focused Blue Zone, a Green Zone will showcase climate technologies and business models. Ten climate-focused startups, five from Cambridge’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and five from Türkiye, will present their work through pitches, exhibitions, demonstrations and networking.
The six-day program will prepare young people not only as informed participants but as future climate negotiators and leaders, while connecting climate policy discussions with practical innovation ahead of COP31.
