Türkiye, as host and president of COP31, has pledged to pursue a climate agenda that does not exclude energy security, protects the right to development, supports a just transition and focuses on concrete implementation.
Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum, who will serve as COP31 president, met International Energy Agency Executive (IEA) Director Fatih Birol in Istanbul to discuss cooperation between the COP31 presidency and the agency on energy transition and the circular economy.
Following the meeting, Kurum said he sees COP31, which Türkiye will host and preside over, not merely as a platform for discussing new commitments but as a process where promises turn into action, trust is strengthened and tangible progress is achieved.
“The world faces two great realities: Rapidly rising energy demand on one side, and the imperative to fight climate change on the other. Humanity must now build safer, cleaner energy systems,” he said.
Europe and other regions have experienced the challenges of dependence on Middle Eastern energy supplies, Kurum said.
He called for reducing reliance on single energy sources, ensuring affordable energy access and accelerating the transformation of global energy systems.
Kurum said the COP31 presidency’s approach rests on three core principles: Dialogue, consensus and action.
Dialogue will build an inclusive platform that strengthens trust and leaves no one behind. Consensus will foster shared responsibility and ownership among countries. Action will ensure that decisions translate into credible and measurable implementation on the ground.
Kurum also said Türkiye is working closely with the Brazilian and Azerbaijani presidencies and with Australian partners on developments from COP30 and preparations for COP31.
Kurum outlined five priorities for the COP31 action agenda. The first priority is clean energy transition. Türkiye plans to deepen cooperation with the IEA in areas including renewable energy, food systems, heating and cooling and digitalization.
The second priority is zero waste and methane reduction. Kurum said the zero-waste initiative carried out under the auspices of First Lady Emine Erdoğan will become one of the core pillars of the COP31 agenda.
The third priority is climate-resilient cities. Kurum said cities are where climate risks concentrate but also where solutions can scale quickly. Energy efficiency, zero-energy buildings, urban energy solutions, resilient infrastructure and climate-adaptive settlement models will feature prominently at COP31.
The fourth priority is establishing a climate action implementation mechanism to bridge the gap between global climate targets and national plans.
The fifth priority is green industrialization, requiring structural transformation of industry in line with long-term net-zero targets.
