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Turkey's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ahmet Yıldız, said the 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), which Turkey will chair in November, is designed to deliver concrete results rather than repeat past promises.

Speaking at a special event titled "A Planet Fit for the Future: Rebuilding Trust Through Climate Action" at UN headquarters in New York, Yıldız said the COP31 Climate Action Agenda will bring together governments, international organizations, financial institutions, the private sector and civil society.

Turkey sets out the COP31 agenda

Yıldız addressed the gathering on behalf of Turkey, which holds the leadership of COP31, at an event held ahead of the meeting in Antalya. He said the Climate Action Agenda is meant to convene governments, international bodies, financial institutions, business and civil society with the aim of producing tangible results.

The conference will draw strength from what Yıldız described as a unique partnership between Turkey and Australia. Australia will chair the negotiations, while Turkey, as COP31 President, will steer the overall process and lead the climate action agenda.

Adaptation and early warning needs

Recent events, including the devastating floods in Nepal, have once again shown how exposed communities are to climate-related risks, Yıldız said. Such events make clear that adaptation and resilience require sustained attention and that multi-hazard early warning systems and community response capacity must be strengthened.

Yıldız said better access to climate finance, technology and capacity building is equally essential, particularly for developing countries, in order to reinforce those systems and turn adaptation priorities into concrete action.

Presidency comes amid geopolitical uncertainty

Turkey is taking on the COP31 presidency at a time of geopolitical uncertainty and what Yıldız called growing skepticism about climate change. He presented the role as evidence of Turkey's strong commitment to multilateralism and international climate cooperation.

Yıldız said the initiatives reflect Turkey's determination to strengthen international cooperation, take account of developing countries' needs and bring its own climate goals closer to concrete implementation. He called on UN member states to contribute to these efforts in line with their national conditions and priorities.

UN General Assembly President calls for implementation

Khalilur Rahman, President of the UN General Assembly, opened the event with a speech in which he said the task now is to turn commitments into action and promises into trust. Turkey's COP31 Presidency, he said, has placed implementation at the center of the agenda through cooperation and collective action.

Rahman urged member states to arrive in Antalya ready to translate their nationally determined contributions into financed, measurable action consistent with making their climate goals achievable. Implementation should begin with the most at-risk countries, he said, naming small island developing states, least developed countries and low-lying coastal communities.

He also called for the loss and damage fund to be adequately resourced so it can deliver timely help to urgent communities. Justice, he said, requires more than acknowledging vulnerability; it requires financing the response. Rahman noted that mountain glaciers have lost about 6.2% of their mass since 2000 and that global temperature rise is expected to reach 2.8 degrees Celsius even under current climate policies.

Antalya summit and follow-up

Yıldız said Turkey expects high-level attendance at the leaders' summit in Antalya on November 11-12. Lasting results, he said, will depend on all countries and other stakeholders continuing to fulfill their responsibilities after Antalya.

Rahman closed by saying COP31 should be judged by the people it protects rather than the promises it repeats, adding that this is how trust is rebuilt and a planet fit for the future is built.

Key takeaways

• Turkey will chair COP31 in November, with Australia chairing the negotiations.
• Yıldız said the Climate Action Agenda aims to deliver concrete results across governments, finance, business and civil society.
• Rahman urged states to bring financed, measurable climate action to Antalya and to fund the loss and damage mechanism.
• A leaders' summit is set for Antalya on November 11-12, with high-level participation expected.