Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Berris Ekinci said on Thursday that the 31st session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) would prioritise the practical implementation of climate policies.
Speaking at an event commemorating the upcoming United Nations Day, Ekinci said the conference would be designed as an “implementation COP,” reflecting growing expectations that the second decade of the Paris Agreement should focus on delivering climate commitments rather than primarily negotiating new decisions.
She highlighted the importance of linking national climate priorities with financing through the Climate Implementation Bridge, an initiative developed with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to help turn climate ambitions into bankable projects.
According to the Turkish minister, the summit will also combine formal negotiations with a climate action agenda that involves cities, businesses, investors, researchers, civil society, and young people. Ekinci said the agenda includes six global targets for 2035.
Babatunde Ahonsi, the UN Resident Coordinator in Türkiye, said that addressing climate change requires broad participation across society, including businesses, local authorities, women and young people, as well as governments.
Describing the approach as “inclusive multilateralism,” Ahonsi said preparations for COP31 had involved dialogues with businesses, municipalities, youth groups and women’s organizations.
Also on Thursday, Murat Kurum, minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, said Türkiye expects 85 world leaders to attend COP31 in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya next month, while 26,000 security personnel will be deployed to ensure the event proceeds smoothly.
Kurum made the remarks during an inspection of the summit venue. According to the minister, nearly 300 ministers are expected to visit Türkiye, and applications for 159 pavilions and 90 delegation offices have been approved, a record number for the UN conference.
More than 1 million visitors are expected during the event, which will feature dedicated meeting halls, exhibition areas and a media center designed to accommodate 4,000 journalists, he said.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said 26,000 personnel from the police, gendarmerie and coast guard would be assigned to security duties, with measures covering land, air and maritime operations.
COP31 is scheduled to take place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November.
