Türkiye on Wednesday called for stronger global cooperation and faster implementation of climate commitments as Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum outlined Ankara’s priorities for the upcoming COP31 climate summit during high-level talks in Copenhagen.
Speaking at the Copenhagen Climate Ministers Meeting, Kurum said the world must move beyond negotiating new frameworks and instead focus on translating existing climate targets into tangible national policies and investments.
“Today, the fundamental need is not to create new frameworks; it is to rapidly implement existing targets and produce concrete results,” Kurum said while chairing the “Building Resilience and Accelerating Adaptation” session. “That’s why we call it the ‘Implementation COP.’”
Türkiye is set to host the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP31, in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya in November under a joint framework with Australia. The summit is expected to focus heavily on climate adaptation, financing and implementation of commitments made under the Paris Agreement.
Kurum said climate change was no longer a distant threat but a reality directly affecting economies, infrastructure, food systems and daily life worldwide. He pointed to rising droughts, floods, wildfires and water shortages as evidence of mounting climate pressures, particularly in developing countries and vulnerable communities.
