The United Nations conference will be held from November 9 to 20 and will address close to 100 key agenda items on climate action through 12 thematic sessions dedicated to areas such as energy, food, climate finance, or artificial intelligence
The countdown has already begun for the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP31), which will take place in Antalya, Türkiye’s main tourist destination, from November 9 to 20. The event, which represents Türkiye’s first presidency and organization of a COP, will bring together representatives from nearly 200 countries to address the main challenges of international climate action.
Considered the world’s main negotiating platform on climate change, the COP brings together each year political leaders, researchers, companies, and civil society organizations within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. After the negotiations held in Brazil during COP30, Türkiye obtained the mandate to host the 2026 edition, a milestone that reinforces its role in international climate diplomacy and its positioning as the venue for major international events and conferences.
Defined by Türkiye as the “COP of the Future,” COP31 aims to turn the commitments made in previous editions into concrete and applicable measures. For two weeks, world leaders, policymakers, experts, companies, and representatives of civil society will meet at the Antalya EXPO Centre to discuss solutions, assess policies, and move forward on new agreements in the face of the climate crisis.
Twelve thematic sessions to accelerate climate action
According to the official program of the Turkish COP31 presidency, each session will be dedicated to a specific area of climate action. Through ministerial dialogues, business forums, expert roundtables, technical workshops, and meetings with civil and youth organizations, the various sessions will seek to promote cooperation and the implementation of concrete solutions.
The sessions will address issues such as the energy transition, sustainable finance, resilient cities, the circular economy, nature-based solutions, and technological innovation. The conference will be inaugurated on November 9 with the session dedicated to "Food, Agriculture and Health", followed by "Energy and Transport", focused on aspects such as energy security, electrification, and grid infrastructure.
One of the highlights will be the World Summit of Leaders for Climate Action, to be held on November 11 and 12. The meeting will bring together Heads of State and Government with the aim of strengthening international cooperation and accelerating the implementation of climate commitments. The first day will be dedicated to the concept "Zero Waste", while the second will focus on "Resilient Cities and the Built Environment".
The program will be completed with thematic sessions dedicated to Finance and Trade, Childhood, Youth, Education and Skills, Science, Industry and Technology, Oceans, Seas, Nature and Land Use, Human, Social Development and Gender, and Imece, an initiative aimed at promoting the global implementation of climate actions. The conference will conclude with a day dedicated to the final negotiations.
Türkiye strengthens its leadership in sustainable tourism
As part of COP31, Türkiye will use the occasion to present its projects, policies, and progress in sustainable tourism, as well as to highlight the role of the tourism sector in adaptation and resilience in the face of climate change.
With this objective, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye and the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) will organize a series of high-level meetings during the thematic session dedicated to the Human, Social Development and Gender. The sessions will take place both in the Blue Zone, intended for official negotiations, and in the Green Zone, open to the public.
Among the scheduled events, the session "Tourism Climate Solutions: Low-Carbon, Zero Waste and Climate-Resilient Destinations" stands out, which will take place on November 18 in the Blue Zone. The meeting will include the participation of the Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Nadir Alpaslan, and the Executive Director of UN Tourism, Shijun Liu, and will serve to present Türkiye’s national model for sustainable tourism and the implementation of the country’s Environmental and Cultural Sustainability Program, developed in collaboration with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
Likewise, the Green Zone will host four specialized panels on national transformation, investments in sustainable tourism, sustainability of cultural and gastronomic heritage, as well as formulas for collaboration between different sectors to promote a more sustainable tourism model.