Istanbul: Trkiye is increasingly assuming a leadership role in regional climate action while making notable contributions to global efforts, a senior United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) official said, ahead of the country hosting the COP31 climate summit in 2026.
According to Anadolu Agency, Meral Mungan Arda, UNDP Trkiye's climate change and environment portfolio manager, delivered the remarks at the "Awareness Raising Conference on Climate Action in Trkiye After COP30," which was held in Istanbul. The event was part of UNDP Trkiye's EU-funded Partnership for Local Climate Action Project, with the Directorate of Climate Change serving as the final beneficiary.
Arda emphasized that the COP30 summit in November 2025 in Belem, Brazil, highlighted the inadequacy of existing national climate commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to levels consistent with global targets, even if fully implemented. She noted that a decade after the Paris Agreement, the world is still far from limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, underscoring the necessity of transitioning from planning to action.
Climate finance emerged as a central theme at COP30, Arda noted, highlighting the critical importance of funding for both emissions mitigation and adaptation to climate impacts. "Financing needs for both mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change remain a top priority. As we head toward COP31, these issues are likely to take center stage in Trkiye as well," she remarked. She pointed to progress on the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance, which commits developed nations to mobilize at least $300 billion annually from public sources by 2035, while increasing overall climate finance flows to $1.3 trillion per year to aid developing countries.
Arda further explained that one of the core objectives of the EU Partnership project is to activate climate action at the local level, stressing the need for strong and coordinated agendas for both mitigation and adaptation. Reflecting on COP30, she highlighted the summit's emphasis on the continued importance of multilateral cooperation despite shifting global dynamics.
"Trkiye is a strong player in climate action. We observe that Trkiye has taken on a leadership role in regional climate efforts. Trkiye's contributions in this area are highly significant," Arda stated. She expressed excitement about the upcoming COP31 in Trkiye, seeing it as an opportunity to showcase the country's contributions and inspire other nations.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) serves as the supreme decision-making body of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), convening annually since 1995 to assess progress and negotiate global climate action. The 31st session is scheduled to be held in Trkiye in 2026, primarily in Antalya, with nearly 200 countries expected to participate in discussions on emissions targets, adaptation measures, climate finance, and carbon-market rules under the Paris Agreement framework.