Turkey Hosts Climate Summit Next Week

Turkey will host the United Nations Conference of the Parties, known as COP31, in the Mediterranean city of Antalya from Nov. 9 to 20. The gathering brings together tens of thousands of delegates, world leaders, and civil society representatives to discuss the implementation of global climate goals. Environment and climate change minister Murat Kurum stated that the summit will prioritize turning existing commitments into action rather than setting new targets.

To support its role as host, Turkey has emphasized its expanding renewable energy sector. The country operates one of Europe's largest solar farms in the central province of Konya. The Kalyon Karapınar YEKA-1 Solar Power Plant in the town of Karapinar has been operational since 2023. The site contains more than 3 million solar panels installed on a terrain equivalent to 2,600 soccer fields.

Plant director Burak Dogru said the facility generates enough electricity annually to meet about 0.7% of the country’s power demand. He estimated that the plant prevents approximately 1.75 million metric tons of carbon emissions every year. Turkey’s Energy Ministry reported that solar and wind energy accounted for nearly 23% of electricity generation in the country last year.

Before the summit, the country’s energy mix included a heavy reliance on traditional fuels. Coal remained the largest source of electricity in Turkey last year, accounting for 33% of generation. The Turkish Statistical Institute recorded the nation's total greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 at 584.5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. This is the most recent year for which data is available.

Advocates for climate action have raised concerns about the gap between renewable growth and fossil fuel use. Duygu Kutluay, a campaigner with the Beyond Fossil Fuels advocacy group, noted that current plans lack a roadmap for phasing out coal, oil, and gas. She described this approach as not compatible with Turkey's pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2053.

The summit follows a period of increased global attention on energy security and rising oil and gas prices. The United States, the second-biggest carbon polluter after China, will be absent from the negotiations following President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from global climate talks. Kurum announced that Turkey will push a climate implementation bridge initiative to connect countries with financing and technology.

Climate Action Tracker described Turkey’s climate targets as critically insufficient relative to the 2015 Paris Agreement goals. The agreement aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Turkey was selected to host COP31 after a competitive process with Australia. U.N. Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell defended the selection in February, stating that a host country’s fossil fuel status does not determine the summit's success.