With just under three months to go, Turkey is stepping up preparations to host COP31, the United Nations’ flagship climate summit, in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya from November 9 to 20.
Turkish Environment Minister Murat Kurum, who holds the COP31 presidency, has already conducted 36 international engagements in the run-up to the summit, including meetings with Australia’s Climate Minister Chris Bowen — Australia having stepped back from its own hosting bid earlier this year in favour of a joint arrangement, under which it will chair the formal negotiations while a Pacific nation hosts the traditional pre-COP gathering.
Local officials in Antalya say they expect close to 120 world leaders and more than 400 ministerial-level delegates, with daily footfall projected at around 100,000 visitors. The summit venue — the former EXPO 2016 site — has been renamed the “COP31 Area” and is being divided into a “Blue Zone” for formal negotiations and a “Green Zone” for civil society groups. Organisers estimate the event could generate roughly $2 billion in economic activity for the region.

Turkey has laid out a ten-point “COP31 Action Agenda,” with priorities including clean energy transition, food security, resilient health systems and climate-proofing cities — an agenda that will be closely watched by vulnerable nations, including Pakistan, looking for stronger global commitments on climate finance.