TÜRKİYE TAKES ACTION FOR COP31: AN “ACTION-ORIENTED” CLIMATE DIPLOMACY MESSAGE FROM İSTANBUL

PREPARATIONS HAVE BEGUN IN İSTANBUL

Public institutions, relevant stakeholders, and technical teams gathered at the COP31 kick-off meeting in Istanbul. In addition to organizational preparations, the meeting also addressed Türkiye’s policy priorities for the summit. In statements from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, it was emphasized that COP31 is not merely a diplomatic calendar event; it is a strategic platform that will make Türkiye’s transformation in climate policies visible on an international scale. In this context, it was stated that the principles of transparency, inclusiveness, and multi-stakeholder participation will form the basis of the preparation process. During the COP31 diplomatic contacts held in Istanbul, meetings were held with representatives of different countries and international actors. While Türkiye’s COP31 vision was explained during the meetings, the topics of financing, just transition, technology transfer, and capacity building were particularly highlighted. It was emphasized that Türkiye’s hosting role would not be limited to merely organizing the venue; the summit’s agenda would be centered on “implementation and concrete results.” The key message in this context was “it’s time for action, not words.” ords” emerged as the key message in this context.

THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK HAS BEEN CLARIFIED

At the COP31 kick-off meeting in Istanbul, public institutions, relevant organizations, and technical teams came together. The meeting addressed organizational structure, task distribution, and roadmap.

It was stated that the preparation process included detailed planning of logistics, security, transportation, accommodation capacity, technical infrastructure, and hosting international delegations. It was also stated that the summit would not consist solely of official negotiations; a multi-layered structure was designed with side events, business meetings, youth and civil society platforms. In this context, topics such as the private sector’s green transformation investments, cities’ climate adaptation projects, and the participation of young people in climate diplomacy are also planned to be included in the summit program.

CONTENT FOCUS: FINANCING AND JUST TRANSITION

The Ministry’s statements outlined a clear framework regarding the content dimension of COP31. While drawing attention to the long-debated financing gap in the global climate regime, Türkiye emphasizes that developing countries need stronger support mechanisms during their transition process. In this context, the accessibility of climate finance, the acceleration of technology transfer, and the support of just transition policies with concrete tools are among Türkiye’s priority topics. At the summit, it is planned to strongly bring to the agenda the effective functioning of loss and damage mechanisms and capacity building issues.

TÜRKİYE’S POSITION AND DIPLOMATIC MESSAGE

Due to its unique status under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Türkiye is in a position to engage with both developed and developing countries. This “bridge role” was emphasized during the meetings in Istanbul. Türkiye, which is in a critical position in terms of energy and climate policies in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, aims to create a platform for dialogue and cooperation between these regions. With COP31 being held in Türkiye, the aim is to create a more balanced and inclusive platform for dialogue in climate negotiations along the north-south axis. The Ministry states that the summit should be a turning point that strengthens global consensus and accelerates implementation mechanisms.