Emine Erdoğan: “COP31 Will Be a Turning Point for Climate Diplomacy”

Prior to COP31, which will be hosted by Türkiye, First Lady Emine Erdoğan received COP31 President Murat Kurum and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion Samed Ağırbaş to discuss the summit’s preparatory process and the leadership vision Türkiye will undertake in global climate diplomacy.

Chairperson of the UN Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste and Honorary President of the Zero Waste Foundation, First Lady Emine Erdoğan, received the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and COP31 President, Murat Kurum, and the President of the Zero Waste Foundation appointed as COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, Samed Ağırbaş, within the scope of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be hosted by Türkiye.

During the meeting; the current status of the COP31 preparation process, the strategic responsibilities Türkiye will undertake in climate diplomacy, and the integration of the Zero Waste vision into global climate action were discussed comprehensively. The goal of further strengthening Türkiye’s international position as an actor that not only takes decisions but also produces solutions and guides the fight against climate change was emphasized.

Türkiye is at the Center of Global Climate Diplomacy with COP31

Beyond being a summit hosting negotiation processes between party countries, COP31 serves as a global platform aiming to accelerate climate action by bringing together states, local governments, the private sector, academia, and non-governmental organizations.

Türkiye’s hosting of COP31 bears historic importance in terms of strengthening multilateral cooperation and reinforcing its climate leadership role on a regional and global scale.

In this context, First Lady Emine Erdoğan expressed her satisfaction that Türkiye will host COP31, pointing out that the summit is a turning point in terms of climate diplomacy and sustainable development goals.

“COP31 Will Be a Turning Point for Climate Diplomacy”

First Lady Emine Erdoğan shared her evaluations regarding the meeting with the public via her social media account. In her statement, congratulating Minister Murat Kurum and Zero Waste Foundation President Samed Ağırbaş for the duties they assumed at COP31, First Lady Emine Erdoğan used the following expressions:

“I wholeheartedly congratulate our Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, COP31 President Mr. Murat Kurum, and our Zero Waste Foundation President, COP31 High-Level Climate Champion Mr. Samed Ağırbaş, for the valuable responsibilities they have undertaken.

I am greatly pleased that our country will host COP31, where decisions guiding the global climate struggle will be taken. I believe that this historic summit will be a turning point for our climate diplomacy and sustainable development goals.

I wish that COP31 will contribute to building a fairer, cleaner, and more livable world with Türkiye’s accumulation, vision, and pioneering approach in the environmental field.”

“COP31 Will Start a Historic Era in Climate Diplomacy”

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and COP31 President Murat Kurum drew attention to the importance of the high-level support given to the COP31 process to be hosted by Türkiye, and included the following statements in his explanation regarding the meeting:

"We visited the esteemed First Lady Emine Erdoğan to provide information regarding the COP31 process and held consultations regarding our preparations. 

With the summit that will start a historic era in climate diplomacy and bring together 197 countries, Türkiye will be a guiding actor in the fight against climate change. 

I offer my gratitude to First Lady Emine Erdoğan, who undertook a historic responsibility with the Zero Waste Project on the road to the summit and turned the project into a global environmental movement with her determined stance."

"Zero Waste Vision Will Be an Inspiration Source for the COP31 Process"

Zero Waste Foundation President Samed Ağırbaş, who was appointed as the COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, emphasized in his statement on social media following the meeting that the zero waste vision, which has turned into a global conscience, is the inspiration source determining the direction of the COP31 process. Ağırbaş included the following expressions in his statement:

"I offer my sincerest gratitude to our Zero Waste Foundation Honorary President, First Lady Emine Erdoğan, for this meaningful reception and valuable wishes.

The esteemed First Lady's strong vision, which finds a response all over the world with the Zero Waste movement and transforms environmental awareness into a global conscience, is the most valuable source of inspiration determining the spirit and direction of a historic process like COP31 today.

I view this duty as a trust of the sustainability understanding shaped under her leadership; and express that we will continue to carry our responsibility for a fairer, cleaner, and more livable world with the same belief and determination."

Strong Cooperation for Multi-Stakeholder Climate Action

The task of COP31 High-Level Climate Champion creates a strategic responsibility area aiming to establish strong and sustainable collaborations between the public, private sector, local governments, and non-governmental organizations.

In this direction, with the Zero Waste Foundation's knowledge accumulation and field experience, it is aimed to share and disseminate good practices developed in areas such as circular economy, resource efficiency, waste management, sustainable consumption, and production models on the international platform.

Türkiye’s Pioneering Vision Will Be Strengthened

It is aimed that COP31, to be hosted by Türkiye, will produce concrete and inclusive outputs in the headings of finance, adaptation, mitigation, and just transition in the fight against climate change. The summit is expected to accelerate the implementation of policies compatible with sustainable development goals and strongly reflect Türkiye’s pioneering approach in the environmental field to the international public.

High-Level Climate Championship

The High-Level Climate Championship was established within the scope of the United Nations Climate Conference (COP), held in Paris in 2015 and a turning point in global climate negotiations. This mechanism aims to create a strong basis for cooperation between governments and non-state actors to support the achievement of the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Climate High-Level Champions encourage the implementation of ambitious and concrete climate actions by mobilizing a wide stakeholder ecosystem covering businesses, financial institutions, cities, regions, non-governmental organizations, and local communities.

Champions, serving for two-year terms and handing over the flag from one COP to another, act as a bridge between national governments and non-state actors. These works are carried out in line with a five-year vision to accelerate implementation within the framework of the Global Climate Action Agenda.