The key facts

  • Sadiq Khan said cities are responsible for 70% of carbon emissions and called on them to lead emission reductions
  • According to him, at COP31 in Antalya, mayors and regional leaders will for the first time play a prominent role alongside heads of state
  • Khan will become the first Mayor of London to make an official visit to Turkey and, after the summit, plans to visit Istanbul to discuss investment ties

Cities as both part of the problem and the solution

Cities are simultaneously major sources of emissions and key to solving the climate problem, said Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in an interview with the Anadolu agency ahead of his visit to Turkey for the climate summit. According to him, cities around the world produce 70% of carbon emissions, and therefore they bear a direct responsibility to respond to the crisis. 'Just as we were the cause of it, I believe we can solve it,' the agency quoted him as saying.

C40 and the experience of reducing emissions

Khan co-chairs the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, which unites 97 of the world's largest cities with a combined population of more than 900 million people. He stated that two-thirds of the network's cities have already passed peak emissions and continue to reduce them, while also improving air quality and creating green jobs in solar and wind energy and electric transport.

A new role for mayors at COP31

In Khan's assessment, the upcoming 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) in Antalya will mark a shift toward broader participation of local and regional authorities in international climate negotiations. 'Unlike previous COPs, where there were only national prime ministers and presidents, this year, for the first time, mayors and regional leaders will play a major role. Why? Because we have part of the solutions,' he said.

Visit to Turkey and Istanbul

Khan will become the first Mayor of London to make an official visit to Turkey. He called the hosting of COP31 in Antalya a source of pride for Turkish communities, and also congratulated Turkey and the Turkish community of London on Republic Day, noting the country's achievements over the past 103 years. After the conference, the mayor plans to visit Istanbul to discuss investment ties and to promote London as a center of international trade and investment. According to him, London and Turkish cities face common challenges — climate change, extreme heat, droughts and earthquakes — which makes the joint search for solutions important.