Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen to be COP President for Negotiations, with Türkiye hosting conference and COP Presidency.
Türkiye’s Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change and Chief Climate Negotiator, Fatma Varank, said Türkiye approaches climate issues with empathy and a shared sense of responsibility.
“Climate change is a global challenge that demands solidarity, collaboration, and mutual understanding,” she said. Türkiye, she added, remains committed to making constructive contributions to the global climate agenda and maintaining an inclusive approach that addresses the concerns of all countries.
Varank stated that, by keeping climate action at the core, Türkiye attaches great importance to ensuring that COP31 focuses not only on one specific region, but on all vulnerable regions, including the Pacific, which is among the most affected by the climate crisis.
“The Pacific has been a fragile region that Australia wanted to keep on the agenda from the very beginning. They wanted to draw global attention there. We wholeheartedly supported this. Türkiye has always stood with vulnerable communities,” she said.
She further emphasised that, should Türkiye assume the hosting role, it would be able to act as a bridge between developed and developing countries.
Turkish first lady’s initiatives
Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan’s work on sustainability and climate awareness also reinforces Türkiye’s wider commitment to inclusive climate leadership and aligns with its ambition to host COP31.
Erdogan has become a central figure in shaping the country’s environmental agenda, particularly through the internationally recognised Zero Waste Project, launched under her leadership in 2017.
The initiative promotes waste reduction, recycling and circular-economy practices across public institutions, municipalities and the private sector, and has positioned Türkiye as an advocate for resource efficiency on the global stage.
The project has earned global acclaim, receiving the UNDP “Global Goals Action Award” for its contribution to responsible consumption and production.
Emine Erdogan also chaired the UN High-Level Advisory Board on Zero Waste, convening global experts to develop international standards and expand zero-waste practices worldwide.
She frequently frames climate action as a matter of intergenerational justice, stressing that protecting the environment is part of “a responsibility owed to future generations.”
