Kurum: 196 countries represented at COP31, with 102 participating at leader level

COP31 President and Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum assessed the first five days of the summit in Antalya at a press conference held in the Mevlana Press Conference Hall, and announced that 196 countries and the European Union are represented at the summit. According to Anadolu Agency, Kurum said that ahead of the Leaders' Summit there was participation at leader level from 102 figures representing 95 countries and 7 international organizations, and that the United Nations' initial registrations recorded more than 97 thousand participants. An area of 1.1 million square meters was prepared for the summit.

Kurum stated that at the Leaders' Summit held on November 11-12, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed world leaders, and that the leaders presented their national statements, sharing their countries' experience, targets and the difficulties they face. Noting that the negotiations are continuing under the chairmanship of Chris Bowen, Kurum said, "we accepted our agenda on the very first day with the consensus of all parties," and stated that at the end of the first week the work was progressing as planned.

Explaining that on the first day of the summit food, agriculture and health were taken up, followed by energy and transport, Kurum said that the clean energy transition was assessed at the Electrification Forum and the private sector's investment capacity at the TOBB Business Forum. He conveyed that under Turkey's Action Agenda the targets of raising global electrification to 35 percent by 2035, increasing the rate of reused materials to 15 percent, accelerating climate action through the "Climate Implementation Bridge" (BRIDGE) mechanism, and reducing energy consumption in buildings were shared with all countries, and that responses were received to these targets.

Stating that in the second week youth, education, science, artificial intelligence, green industry, the seas and biodiversity will be taken up, Kurum reported that consultations at ministerial level will intensify. Expressing that what matters is not taking decisions but implementing them, Kurum said, "Our call from Antalya to the world is clear: come, let us build trust."

When reminded that he had given a standing ovation to Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa when it was his turn to speak at the General Assembly, Kurum said he wanted this to be understood as support for Palestine and as not remaining silent in the face of oppression, and that Turkey will continue to stand by Palestine.