The Kick-off Meeting for COP31, which will be hosted by Türkiye, has concluded in Istanbul.
13 February 2026
Chaired by COP31 President Murat Kurum, the meeting spanned 13 sessions and featured high-level participation, including UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen, COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago, and COP29 President and Special Envoy of the President of Azerbaijan for Climate Change Mukhtar Babayev, who joined via video conference. The two-day gathering was highly productive and marked by intensive diplomatic engagement. Following an extensive preparation period led by the Directorate of Climate Change, the meeting in Istanbul paved the way for significant milestones regarding COP31, which will be held under Türkiye’s hosting and presidency. Speaking at the closing of the program, COP31 President Kurum noted that they have meticulously addressed every pillar, from the 2026 climate events and the COP31 Presidential vision to the formulation of the action agenda and the formal decisions to be adopted. Stating their commitment to a result-oriented management of the COP31 process, Kurum said:
“Türkiye and Australia will operate as a single body”
To ensure the success of COP31, Türkiye and Australia will operate as a single body, grounded in a spirit of consultation and cooperation. We are fully aware of the world’s high expectations for COP31. Our responsibility is to accurately interpret these expectations, build trust among parties, and deliver results. As we have consistently emphasized, we do not view COP31 merely as a conference, and no one else should either. Türkiye’s approach to COP31 is clear: we will favor dialogue over unilateralism, act with consensus rather than division, and choose action over stagnation to achieve concrete outcomes. Guided by these principles, we will announce our robust and well-structured action agenda to the world. Under a neutral and fair presidency that leaves no one behind, we will listen to, amplify, and encourage every voice. A reversal in global climate action is unacceptable. We will convey in the clearest possible terms that the threshold for implementation flexibility and transition tolerances has now reached its limit.
“At every stage, we will demonstrate a presidential approach that inspires confidence, remains result-oriented, and is geared toward implementation”
COP31 will be built upon three core pillars. Dialogue will be the starting point of the COP31 process. In this framework, COP31 will establish an inclusive platform for consultation where governments, the private sector, cities, youth, and civil society are meaningfully heard, and diverse responsibilities are acknowledged. Consensus will be the most critical milestone built upon this foundation of dialogue. COP31 will focus on realistic commitments that balance ambition with feasibility, and equity with responsibility, while respecting the development priorities of nations. Action is the ultimate goal of this process. COP31 will prioritize translating commitments into field-level reality, supported by investment, policy alignment, and public-private partnerships. Through these three principles, we will move COP31 beyond a discourse-heavy negotiation process; at every stage, we will demonstrate a presidential approach that inspires confidence, remains result-oriented, and is geared toward implementation.
“We define COP31 as the ‘COP of the Future’—the place where humanity reunites”
As the COP31 Presidency, we are determined to rebuild trust in multilateralism through a powerful vision focused on delivering results. We know this because, for centuries, Türkiye has stood for good against evil, for justice against inequity, and for beauty against the unseemly. In this era, as climate change ravages the entire world, Türkiye continues to stand by humanity. One of our points of departure is Göbeklitepe, recognized as the ‘zero point’ of human history. Just as Göbeklitepe was where humanity first gathered around a common meaning, we define COP31 as the ‘COP of the Future’—the place where humanity reunites.
“Humanity is waiting for humanity”
The world has only one enduring remedy: living in harmony with nature. The earth is our common home, and we have no other place, no other shelter, and no other sanctuary to turn to. Türkiye lies at the natural center of the fight against the global climate crisis. Our country will serve as the bridge connecting the North and South, the East and West, and developed economies with developing societies. Türkiye has taken the lead in global climate justice—a role it has earned and proven by standing on the right side of humanity throughout history’s most critical periods. It is a country that views climate justice as the most strategic achievement on the path to a world where global justice is secured.
The future will be shaped here, in Anatolia. The roadmap for a livable future will be presented to all of humanity from these lands. We cannot stop, for those beautiful people in the Pacific islands, facing the threat of rising sea levels, are waiting for us. Millions who cannot access water or food, and those forced to leave their homes due to disasters, are waiting for us. In short, ‘humanity is waiting for humanity.’
Director of Climate Change Prof. Halil Hasar:
“The fundamental challenge we face in the global climate struggle today is delivering concrete results on the ground”
During the Istanbul meeting, which has drawn global attention, the COP31 Action Agenda was also addressed. Speaking on the second day of the meeting, Prof. Dr. Halil Hasar, Director of Climate Change, stated: “The fundamental challenge we face in the global climate struggle today is not merely setting targets, but accelerating implementation and delivering concrete results on the ground. Therefore, the Action Agenda is of paramount importance. It serves as a critical tool designed to transform declarations of intent, commitments, and visions into actionable and measurable steps. Director Hasar highlighted the following key points in his speech:
“Our goal is to position Türkiye as a regional hub for implementation”
“As part of our COP31 preparations, our goal is to position Türkiye as a regional hub for implementation, leave a lasting legacy in climate action, and develop strong partnerships aimed at closing the implementation gap. Accordingly, we plan to shape our COP31 Action Agenda around the priority thematic areas of the summit. In defining these areas, we have taken into account several factors: the COP31 vision and philosophy, the mandates and responsibilities assigned to COP31 during the negotiation process, the core pillars of the global Climate Action Agenda, the needs of both developed and developing nations, and the decisions and outcomes of the Global Stocktake.
“We aim to ensure the broadest possible stakeholder participation throughout this process”
We are designing our COP31 Action Agenda as a forward-looking, implementation-oriented framework that incorporates lessons learned from previous agendas while reflecting Türkiye’s unique priorities. We aim to ensure the broadest possible stakeholder participation throughout this process. We believe this wide-ranging engagement is invaluable for fostering ownership and strengthening the impact of the Action Agenda. To this end, we have conducted extensive consultation meetings with a wide range of institutions and organizations. These sessions were carried out in various stages, engaging our Ministries, UN agencies, national and international bodies, the private sector, and former High-Level Climate Champions.
The intensive meeting, marked by broad participation, concluded with a joint press conference by COP31 President Kurum and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell.