Türkiye’s Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum on Monday officially launched the COP31 Action Agenda at UN headquarters in New York, outlining a framework designed to transform international climate commitments into measurable implementation steps ahead of the November summit in Antalya.
Three pillars for implementation
Speaking at the UN Economic and Social Council Chamber during the high-level launch event, Kurum emphasized that the presidency’s approach rests on three fundamental pillars. “We are here today not only to introduce the COP31 Action Agenda, but also to discuss together how we can accelerate the transition from targets to implementation in climate action,” he said. “Our approach in this process is based on three fundamental principles: Dialogue. Consensus. Action,” he added. “Through dialogue, we listen to different needs and priorities. Through consensus, we identify areas for joint action. Through action, we want to turn this partnership into concrete results.”
Kurum stressed that the objective extends beyond announcing fresh commitments. “Our work is not simply about announcing more commitments, but about turning existing commitments into measurable results on the ground,” he stated. He briefed representatives on the agenda’s structure, which includes ten priority themes, six global targets, eleven initiatives and thirteen supporting outputs. The framework establishes an “implementation architecture” developed through extensive consultations with countries, international organizations, financial institutions and civil society, he added.
Global targets for 2035
The minister detailed priority areas spanning energy, industry, cities, food systems, oceans and health, each tied to specific global targets for 2035. “We aim to increase the share of electricity in final energy consumption to 35% by 2035. Through the COP31 Global Electrification Initiative, we will accelerate electrification on a global scale,” Kurum said. Additional targets address climate-resilient cities, sustainable ocean management, food security and dynamic health systems, while other initiatives focus on waste reduction, recycling rates and carbon dioxide emissions cuts.
Following a question-and-answer session with participants including ministers and deputy ministers from approximately 20 countries, Kurum said the presidency had listened carefully to views on implementation barriers and joint priorities. “We did not only introduce our Action Agenda here. We listened to you. We assessed the barriers to implementation, the needs and the areas where we can move forward together,” he said. “We will reflect the views and recommendations you put forward today in our work in the process leading up to Antalya.”
EU climate cooperation
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, Kurum met with European Commissioner for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth Wopke Hoekstra to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation. “We see COP31 as an important opportunity to take Türkiye-EU climate relations to a more strategic and results-oriented level. We are ready to work closely with the European Commission for a COP31 that translates our climate targets into implementation and commitments into concrete action,” Kurum said. He urged the European Union to make an active contribution to the initiatives developed under the Action Agenda and to the Global Implementation Goals.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, UN Assistant Secretary-General Selwin Hart, COP30 President Andre Aranha Correa do Lago, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister and COP29 Lead Negotiator Yalcin Rafiyev, Australian Assistant Minister and COP31 Executive Director Kushla Munro, and World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Celeste Saulo also addressed the launch event. Representatives of international financial institutions joined the discussions alongside the ministerial delegations. “We want Antalya to be a turning point where implementation accelerates in a visible and measurable way,” Kurum said. COP31 will convene at the Expo Center in Antalya on Nov. 9-20.
