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From WHO to EBRD, global voices back Türkiye's COP31 presidency four days out
Four days before Türkiye opens the UN climate summit in Antalya, one of the architects of the Paris Agreement, the EBRD and the World Health Organization have praised its bridge-building diplomacy, green investment drive and lead on climate and health. The host city, meanwhile, is unveiling a phoenix-shaped pavilion printed from earthquake rubble and a garden of 20,000 butterflies.
With four days to go before Türkiye hosts the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya from Nov. 9 to 20, international voices are lining up behind the Turkish presidency. The official COP31 Türkiye account marked the countdown on Nov. 4: "Air, water, fire, earth. They are all at their best when in balance. When our planet's balance is disrupted, our shared future is directly affected. Only 4 days left to preserve the balance and take concrete steps."
It is the first COP ever held in Türkiye. Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum is President of COP31, with Türkiye leading the Action Agenda and Australia chairing the negotiations. Ankara has billed it as an "Implementation COP" that turns pledges into action, with leaders of 197 countries expected.
'A diplomacy of its own'
Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation and one of the architects of the Paris Agreement, told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Nov. 5: "I think the political weight that Türkiye has and can use is important, especially when it comes to building bridges between different sides. Türkiye has a diplomacy of its own, a role of its own. I think this role is very useful right now, and we need countries that take on this task." Given Türkiye's role in diplomacy and geopolitics, she added, the messages it delivers as COP31 President "could have a great impact."
Tubiana called Türkiye's push to raise global electrification to 35% by 2035 an important step and said the country has a very dynamic, strong renewable energy sector that keeps drawing investors. She hoped Antalya would be "a turning point for facing reality," accepting that the cost of waiting keeps growing.
Record EBRD investment and a world first
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) President Odile Renaud-Basso told AA in London that Antalya's focus will be "implementation of commitments" and called Türkiye very successful at bringing different views together. "I also think Türkiye is an emerging market that has truly embraced the green agenda. We are the largest institutional investor in Türkiye," she said. The bank has invested 2.5 billion euros in the country so far this year, expects to pass last year's 2.7 billion euros by year-end, and has already directed 1.7 billion euros to green projects.
She highlighted the Türkiye Industrial Decarbonization Investment Platform, which pools companies, development banks, private investors and concessional finance to modernize heavily polluting sectors. "I think this is a good example of the contribution Türkiye can make, because Türkiye was the first country to do this," she said, noting about 380 million euros already invested under it.
Health and humanitarian agendas
At WHO's weekly briefing in Geneva on Nov. 4, Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, head of its climate change, energy and air quality unit, said: "Türkiye has become one of the pioneers of the health agenda within the COP negotiations. Indeed, Türkiye has made climate-resilient and dynamic health systems one of its 10 priorities for COP31. We see this as concrete progress." A Health Day will open the summit, which WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will attend. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde also called the Antalya summit a big opportunity to turn global goals into action.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said: "We call on world leaders gathering at COP31 to urgently increase investment to better protect communities against the growing humanitarian impacts of climate change." It cited a joint analysis with WWF showing nature-based solutions could help developing countries avoid at least $148 billion a year in losses by 2030. China said Vice President Han Zheng will attend as President Xi Jinping's special envoy.
Antalya showcases phoenix pavilion and butterfly garden
In the Green Zone, a 140-square-meter phoenix structure was printed in 3D concrete by a robot in just seven days, with 60% of its 54 tonnes coming from earthquake rubble collected in Hatay. "Türkiye's resilient cities vision will inspire the world at COP31," Kurum said, adding that Türkiye will share the story of its 11 quake-hit cities "reborn from their ashes like the phoenix."
Nearby, Konya's Selçuklu Municipality has set up a 2,600-square-meter garden with 20,000 butterflies of 10 species. "With our Tropical Butterfly Garden at the COP31 site, we are flapping our wings toward a green future," Kurum wrote, as the ministry said preparations are complete.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, launching the "National Energy 2040" roadmap in İstanbul on Nov. 5, said: "The target Türkiye will present to the world at COP31 is 35% electrification by 2035. Türkiye is moving toward that goal with this down-to-earth program. We want to bring Türkiye to 36% electrification in 2040."
Video: COP31 Türkiye, Anadolu Agency. Photos: Anadolu Agency
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