Turkey prepares to host COP31 climate conference in Antalya

Tens of thousands of negotiators, scientists, activists, and lobbyists will gather in Antalya, Turkey, for the COP31 United Nations climate change conference from November 9 to November 20. The National reported that the meeting comes three years after COP28 in Dubai, which explicitly called for transitioning away from fossil fuels. France 24 reported that Turkey will push for an electrification drive during the summit as climate threats mount. [1][3]

The upcoming event follows previous UN negotiations, including the gathering in Brazil that some viewed as failing to move the climate agenda forward, according to The National. As FTMQ Climate reported earlier, United Kingdom climate minister Katie White urged COP31 to respond to global warming science, following COP30 held in Belém, Brazil in November 2025. Climate Home News reported that Turkey must make the meeting a turning point for global action. [1][4][8]

Turkey faces increasing climate hazards, including heatwaves and droughts. Temperatures in the country exceeded 50 degrees Celsius in 2025, threatening water supplies to some cities. Turkish President Murat Kurum stated that climate finance will be the most important issue at the summit. The country, which became a unitary presidential republic in 2018, functions as an upper-middle-income emerging market economy. [6][7][9]

As FTMQ Climate reported earlier, nearly 200 countries are scheduled to participate in the summit in Antalya to discuss climate finance and implementation steps for Paris Agreement targets. The Bloomberg news outlet also hosted a Q and A addressing whether the meeting can revive the stalled global climate agenda. [5][9]