Türkiye eyes ambitious climate outcome as COP31 enters final week

Detailed summary

The second and final week of the U.N.’s annual climate summit in Türkiye’s Antalya will begin on Nov. 16, with negotiators focusing on drafting a comprehensive text that could lay…

The second and final week of the U.N.’s annual climate summit in Türkiye’s Antalya will begin on Nov. 16, with negotiators focusing on drafting a comprehensive text that could lay the groundwork for global climate commitments.

Since opening on Nov. 9, COP31 in Türkiye’s Mediterranean city has brought together world leaders and policymakers for climate talks, with Türkiye seeking to translate previous pledges into concrete targets and action.

Alongside the formal negotiations, Türkiye is promoting an “action agenda” designed to encourage countries to endorse non-binding commitments across a range of areas, from artificial intelligence to waste management.

At the heart of the initiative is an “electrification” drive aimed at increasing the share of global energy demand met by electricity from around 20 percent today to 35 percent by 2035.

Türkiye also wants electrification to feature in the summit’s “cover decision,” an overarching political statement negotiated by consensus that reflects the main outcomes of the conference.

The European Union has called for “clean” electrification, a term that could spark debate over the role of fossil fuels in the Turkish initiative.

Türkiye is presiding over COP31, while Australia is leading the negotiations under an unusual arrangement reached to resolve a dispute over which country would host the summit.

“We have held three rounds of consultations as the Turkish and Australian teams. We have published our initial assessment document, incorporating the views of the parties. We aim to deliver a strong outcome in Antalya through ministerial-level talks next week,” Turkish Environment Minister and COP31 President Murat Kurum said during a press briefing on Nov. 14.

Our goal is clear, and we will achieve it. We will turn pledges into decisions that make a tangible difference in people’s lives,” Kurum said.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Hürriyet Daily News. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.