The countdown has begun for the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP31), set to take place in Antalya, Türkiye’s tourism capital, from 9 to 20 November. Marking Türkiye’s inaugural presidency and hosting, this landmark summit will address nearly 100 agenda items across 12 priority areas critical to climate action, from food and agriculture to energy, climate finance, and artificial intelligence.
COP serves as the world’s foremost gathering on climate action, convened annually under the UNFCCC to negotiate joint measures and drive global progress against the climate crisis. Following a historic diplomatic success during negotiations at COP30 in Brazil last year, Türkiye secured the mandate to host COP31. Hosting this prestigious conference marks a major strategic milestone for Türkiye, elevating its international stature as a world-class MICE hub and establishing the nation as a key voice in global climate diplomacy, backed by its growing commitments to renewable energy and the circular economy.
Shaped by Türkiye as the “COP of the Future,” COP31 aims to turn past climate pledges into concrete action this year. The summit will once again convene global leaders, policymakers, businesses, researchers, and civil society from nearly 200 nations, alongside Türkiye, at the Antalya EXPO Centre to outline commitments, evaluate policies, and propose solutions to tackle the climate crisis. Throughout the conference, high-level dialogues and technical sessions will drive actionable solutions and foster new global partnerships.According to the schedule released by the COP31 Presidency of Türkiye, each day of the summit will highlight a dedicated climate theme. Supporting COP31’s emphasis on being an “implementation-focused summit,” the Thematic Days aim to accelerate climate action across key sectors. Through ministerial-level dialogues, expert panel discussions, business leadership forums, technical workshops, partnership announcements, and dedicated sessions for civil society and youth organisations, the Thematic Days will bring together diverse stakeholders and create space for targeted dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaborative solutions.
12 Thematic Priorities for Action-Oriented COP31
The Thematic Days cover a comprehensive agenda, from energy transition and sustainable finance to resilient cities, the circular economy, nature-based solutions, and technological innovation. Structured around 12 core themes, the summit opens on 9 November with the “Food, Agriculture, and Health” theme, followed on day two by the “Energy and Transport” theme, covering energy security, electrification, and grid infrastructure.The programme’s flagship high-level event, the World Leaders Climate Action Summit, will be held on 11–12 November. Bringing together heads of state and government, the summit aims to build political momentum, strengthen global collaboration, and accelerate the execution of climate commitments. The two-day leadership forum will focus on the “Zero Waste” theme on its first day and “Resilient Cities and Built Environment” on its second.
The remaining Thematic Days will unfold sequentially as “Finance and Trade”, “Children, Youth, Education, and Skills”, “Science, Industry, and Technology”, “Ocean, Seas, Nature, and Land Use”, “Human, Social Development and Gender”, and “Imece”, dedicated to driving global implementation, with the last day dedicated to Final Negotiations.
Türkiye Advances Climate Diplomacy through Leadership in Sustainable Tourism
Within the framework of COP31, Türkiye will also highlight its visionary projects, eco-friendly policies, and international achievements in sustainable tourism, alongside its strategic role in global climate diplomacy. In this context, under the “Human, Social Development, and Gender” Thematic Day, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye and the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) will jointly coordinate a series of high-level events. Taking place across the Blue and Green Zones, open to official negotiations and the public, respectively, these sessions will explore Türkiye’s sustainable tourism initiatives and the sector’s vital contribution to climate resilience.The first session will convene on November 18 in the Blue Zone, titled “Tourism Climate Solutions: Low-Carbon, Zero Waste and Climate-Resilient Destinations.” Opening with keynote speeches by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Nadir Alpaslan and UN Tourism Executive Director Shijun Liu, the panel will showcase Türkiye’s national sustainable tourism model and the national implementation of the Türkiye Environmental and Cultural Sustainability Program, resulting from a signed cooperation agreement with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Meanwhile, the Green Zone will feature four focused panels that bring together global experts to discuss national transformation, sustainable tourism investments, the sustainability of cultural heritage and gastronomy, and cross-sectoral travel collaborations for sustainable tourism.
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