AI-generated illustration

Preparations for the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) are nearing completion in Antalya, where work on the event site has reached 93%, according to Prof. Dr. Halil Hasar, head of the Climate Change Department at Turkey's Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.

Hasar said about 100 heads of state are expected at the conference, which is scheduled to run from November 9 to 20 in the Mediterranean resort city.

Event site works nearing finish

Speaking to an AA reporter during the Sustainable Development Goals Symposium organized in Antalya by TURKSAI, the Organization of the Supreme Audit Institutions of the Member States of the Organization of Turkic States, Hasar said work on the event area is 93% done and that the figure is targeted to reach 98% by the end of October.

The works are being carried out together with United Nations teams, Hasar said, adding: "We are now making our final preparations, our final touches."

Nearly 100 state leaders expected

Hasar said the work in the "blue zone" is complete and the infrastructure and information technology facilities of the "green zone" are ready, with final arrangements being made in the pavilion areas.

COP31 will be an international diplomacy summit with broad participation, Hasar said, noting that 197 parties, including 196 countries and the European Union, are expected to be represented at the conference. Around 100 state leaders are expected to attend, Hasar said, and more than 85 heads of state have already confirmed their participation. Between 500 and 1,000 ministers are also expected.

Some 25,000 technical teams and delegation members will conduct the negotiations, bringing the total to around 30,000 people, Hasar said. When entire national delegations are counted, around 100,000 experts will come to the COP site.

Green zone to host public and private sector

Hasar said the public, the private sector, civil society organizations and financial circles will come together in the "green zone", where around 100,000 visitors per day are expected to enter.

Wider benefits for Antalya

Hasar said COP31 will contribute to Antalya's tourism and international profile. The city has a bed capacity of 600,000, but finding hotel rooms has become difficult because of the organization, Hasar said.

High-level delegations from different countries will arrive in Antalya during what is considered the off-season in tourism, Hasar said, adding that the event could bring economic benefits in later years as well. Hasar noted that international financial flows rise in countries hosting COP meetings and said investments in green transformation are expected to accelerate.

The EXPO area where COP31 will be held covers more than 40,000 square meters, Hasar said, and the site should also be used for fairs and other events after the organization concludes.

Key takeaways

• Work on the COP31 event area in Antalya is 93% complete, with a 98% target by the end of October.
• The conference is set for November 9-20, with 197 parties expected to be represented.
• About 100 state leaders are expected, and more than 85 heads of state have confirmed attendance.
• Roughly 100,000 experts are expected at the COP site, with similar daily visitor numbers in the green zone.