COP31 Antalya: COP of the Future

The heart of climate diplomacy will beat in Antalya this year. COP31, which we host and chair on November 9-20, can offer a critical opportunity to close the gap between what has been done so far and what needs to be done as indicated by science. The aim is to see not only statements of intent but also concrete implementation suggestions on the table.

In this article, "What should we expect from COP31-Antalya?" While trying to answer the question, it seems meaningful to review the balance from the past. Within the scope of COP30, the extent to which the decisions taken in Belém have been implemented and whether they are applicable will be among the topics that will be discussed. For example, “In order for adaptation financing to be tripled,What kind of road map was or should be followed? Questions such as these will be important to confirm cumulative progress.

The thematic days program announced for this year^[1] looking at; We see 12 topics, each focusing on a separate global priority, from food to energy, from finance to oceans, from education and skills to industry and technology. In addition, the Zero Waste Movement, which was initiated under the leadership of our country and introduced worldwide in 2021 in cooperation with the United Nations and other global organizations, is on the COP31 agenda, with its potential and impact to spread around the world.It is one of the strongest highlights.

Many themes in the program have long been on our agenda as a development bank researcher. In this context, we started to dream of concrete data-based sentences that we wanted to hear. On the other hand, the "nature positive" issue, which has not found the weight it deserves in the COP agendas so far, but has been on our agenda as TSKB Economic Research for a while now^[2], is among the things we will be looking for this year as an issue that deserves concrete steps.

COP31, described by the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum as the "COP of the Future"; It draws attention with its dialogue, compromise and especially its action-oriented approach. Global warming projections, which are expected to rise to 2.8°C by the end of the century, mean that binding practices that will close the gap between what should happen and what is done can no longer be postponed.It shows very clearly.

COP31-Antalya is not just a hosting test for Türkiye; It is a candidate to be a new turning point in the global climate agenda, from small steps to resounding steps, from texts to practices.

Details of this article and more From the Ecosystem Perspective: COP31-Antalya You can find it in our magazine.

Buket Alkan - TSKB Economic Research

Sources:

COP31 Conference Program (1)

About Ecosystem - Issue:17 (2)