M urat Kurum, in his capacity as President-Designate of COP31, has sent his ?rst of?cial letter to the UNFCCC Secretariat and member states, outlining Trkiye’s vision for the upcoming global climate summit and announcing key leadership appointments.
in the letter, Kurum emphasized that Trkiye’s presidency will pursue a ‘COP of Implementation’ approach, focusing on translating climate commitments into tangible, measurable results. He stressed that accelerating global climate action will require stronger international cooperation, innovative partnerships, and a renewed commitment to multilateralism.
antalya Preparations and Key Dates Kurum con?rmed that preparations to host COP31 in Antalya from November 9-20, 2026, are progressing steadily. He also announced that the Pre-COP meeting will be held in Tuvalu from October 5-8, 2026. He noted that the Antalya summit must serve as a platform where ‘words are translated into concrete results,’ inviting global leaders to participate in a spirit of cooperation and shared responsibility. Leadership Appointments Announced The COP31 President-Designate outlined a comprehensive leadership structure for the presidency: ? Samed Agirbas appointed as HighLevel Climate Champion ? Sally Higgins named Youth Climate Champion, in collaboration with Chris Bowen ? Fatma Varank designated as COP31 CEO ? Ömer Bulut to oversee infrastructure ? Burak Demiralp to manage operations and logistics ? Halil Hasar appointed Chief Climate Diplomacy Of?cer ? Mehmet Ali Kahraman to coordinate presidency activities Kurum also con?rmed that Chris Bowen will serve as COP31 President of Negotiations, leading the negotiation process in coordination with Trkiye. Strategic Priorities and Themes Kurum highlighted key priorities under Trkiye’s COP31 Action Agenda, including: ? Accelerating clean energy transition ? Strengthening zero-waste and circular economy initiatives ? Promoting green industrialization ? Enhancing climate resilience in cities and vulnerable regions ? Supporting sustainable agriculture and food security ? Expanding climate ?nance and institutional capacity ? Increasing youth participation and cross-sector collaboration He emphasized that climate action must align with sustainable development goals, particularly for vulnerable regions.
a New Model for Climate Diplomacy Kurum highlighted a new ‘Troika’ cooperation model involving Trkiye, Australia, and previous COP presidencies, aimed at strengthening coordination across regions, particularly linking the Mediterranean and Paci?c. He also underscored Trkiye’s ambition to deliver an inclusive, action-oriented COP31 that engages governments, the private sector, civil society, and youth. With preparations underway and diplomatic engagement intensifying, Trkiye aims to position COP31 as a turning point in global climate governance-focused not just on ambition, but on real-world delivery. Directorate of Climate Change Represents Trkiye in Vienna The Directorate of Climate Change represented Trkiye at the Sustainable Cooling Forum hosted by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vienna. Deputy Director of Climate Change Mehrali Ecer attended the meeting, where Trkiye’s sustainable cooling policies and climate targets were presented to the international community. Designed to develop low-emission and sustainable solutions for the rising global cooling demand, the forum brought together over 200 representatives from more than 100 countries. Trkiye’s Success Highlighted during Panel Session In a session centered on the expansion of sustainable cooling technologies and supporting nations in ful?lling their obligations under the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment, Deputy Director Ecer outlined Trkiye’s policy framework and ongoing ?eld operations. In his panel remarks, Deputy Director Ecer drew attention to the signi?cant momentum Trkiye has achieved in phasing out hydrochloro?uorocarbons. He further emphasized the initiatives carried out under the Montreal Protocol, the projects supported by the Multilateral Fund, and the robust interagency coordination mechanisms, which play a vital role in reaching climate goals. Key Diplomatic Engagements by the Turkish Delegation Conducting high-level meetings throughout the two-day program in Vienna, Deputy Director Ecer shared the latest updates regarding the preparations for COP31, to be hosted by Trkiye. The diplomatic momentum continued within the forum through a series of bilateral meetings.
the Turkish delegation met with Alois Mhlanga, Director of UNIDO’s Climate Innovation and Montreal Protocol Division, and UNIDO of?cial Yunrui Zhou.
the parties exchanged views on potential side events for COP31 and strategic steps to bolster international cooperation.
as part of the program, Deputy Director Mehrali Ecer and the accompanying delegation visited Ambassador Mustafa Kibaroglu, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Trkiye to the United Nations in Vienna.
the meeting served as a platform to share information on the international initiatives led by the Directorate of Climate Change, while evaluating future cooperation opportunities and strategic milestones. Deputy Director of Climate Change Ecer was accompanied by Volkan Polat, Head of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Monitoring Department, and Dr.
ali Oguzhan Narci