The key facts

  • Erdogan called for making climate financing more accessible and predictable, especially for the least developed countries and small island states
  • Turkey reaffirmed its net-zero emissions goal for 2053; the waste recycling rate rose from ~13% to nearly 40% by the end of 2025
  • Erdogan described what is happening in Gaza as 'not only genocide but also ecocide' and called for the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid

Speech at the COP31 summit in Antalya

President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke at the opening ceremony of the COP31 leaders' summit, taking place in the southern province of Antalya. The central theme of his speech was the responsibility of developed countries for the climate agenda: in his words, the states that have historically consumed the world's carbon budget should take on greater commitments on emission reductions and financing. Financing, he emphasized, should become more accessible, predictable, and responsive to countries' needs.

Priorities: financing and vulnerable countries

Erdogan listed the challenges that, in his assessment, the world faces: global warming, biodiversity loss, excessive consumption of natural resources, threats to food security, and increasingly devastating climate disasters. He called for improving access to financing, technology, and capacity-building programs, primarily for the least developed countries and small island states. 'We have identified as a priority task making the needs of the Pacific countries more visible and bringing them to the forefront,' he said.

Turkey's climate commitments

The president reaffirmed Turkey's commitment to the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2053 and stated that the country is carrying out decarbonization across all sectors — from energy and industry to transport and agriculture. He also cited figures on the results of the 'Zero Waste' initiative launched in 2017: the recycling rate rose from approximately 13% to nearly 40% by the end of 2025. For the coming decade, Turkey, according to him, aims to increase the share of electricity consumption by 50%, halve the rate of growth in waste generation, expand the use of circular materials in industry, and achieve progress in ten priority areas, including the clean energy transition, food security, climate-resilient cities, and ocean protection.

Statement on Gaza

A separate part of the speech was devoted to Gaza. Erdogan condemned Israel's attacks, stating that they caused large-scale environmental damage alongside human casualties. 'As I emphasized in my speech at the UN General Assembly, what happened in Gaza is not only genocide but also ecocide,' he said, pointing to the felling of centuries-old olive trees, the pollution of soil and water, and the turning of entire cities into ruins. He also noted the deterioration of the humanitarian situation after heavy rains and floods in the enclave: according to him, tens of thousands of tents and shelters were flooded amid destroyed infrastructure. Erdogan called for the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, an end to its isolation, and an end to the suffering of the Palestinians.