When Türkiye is reported in international media, the focus is often on the country's dynamic defence industry, its mediation efforts in regional conflicts, or its strategic role as a bridge between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's foreign policy initiatives have made Türkiye a visible player on the global stage in recent years.
In addition to diplomacy, security policy and economic transformation, environmental and climate policy is also becoming an area in which Türkiye is gaining increasing international visibility.
Long before the World Climate Conference COP31 was awarded to Antalya, Türkiye was already investing in reforestation, water policy, sustainable urban development and the expansion of renewable energies.
Hosting COP31 in November 2026 is therefore not just a diplomatic success. It marks the culmination of a transformation process that is increasingly positioning the country as an independent actor in international climate diplomacy.
In his first message to the parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in the spring of 2026, Environment Minister Murat Kurum made it clear that Türkiye will pursue the goal of making the climate conference a "COP of implementation".
A conference that translates existing commitments into concrete and measurable results. The Turkish Presidency is relying on the principles of dialogue, consensus and action.
The focus will be on the energy transition, the circular economy, climate-resilient cities and the greater involvement of youth, science and the private sector in global climate policy.
From reforestation to climate neutrality
A look at developments over the past two decades shows why Ankara is making this claim.
According to the General Directorate of Forestry, billions of seedlings have been planted since the early 2000s.
The country's forest area increased from around 20.8 million hectares to more than 23 million hectares.
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Türkiye is one of the few countries in the Mediterranean region whose forest areas are growing in the long term.
With the ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2021, the country also set an important political milestone.
Shortly afterwards, President Erdogan announced the goal of making Türkiye climate-neutral by 2053.
The date is symbolically chosen. It coincides with the 1,000th anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert and, at the same time, represents a long-term vision of economic and technological transformation.
Climate policy is increasingly seen as part of a comprehensive development strategy. Environmental policy should not act as a burden, but as a driver for innovation, investment and competitiveness.
Energy transition as an economic strategy
This change is particularly evident in the energy sector. At the end of April 2026, Türkiye had an installed electricity capacity of 125.4 gigawatts.
Of this, 78.4 gigawatts were accounted for by renewable energy sources, which accounted for 62.5 percent of total electricity capacity.
At the same time, 71.7 percent of the installed capacity came from domestic energy sources, which underlines the strategic importance of the energy transition for the country's energy security.
Solar and wind in particular are driving this change. Installed solar capacity rose to 26.8 gigawatts and now accounts for more than a fifth of total electricity capacity. Wind power reached 15.1 gigawatts.
Together, the two technologies account for 41.8 gigawatts and already cover a third of Türkiye's total installed electricity capacity. Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar expects solar energy to replace hydropower as the country's largest installed energy source before the end of the year.
The energy transition is not only understood as a contribution to climate protection.
At the same time, it is considered an economic and security policy project intended to reduce dependence on energy imports, strengthen the use of domestic resources, and create new industrial value chains.
Sifir Atik: A Turkish idea with global impact
Hardly any other environmental project has shaped the international perception of Türkiye as strongly as the ‘Zero Waste’ initiative.
The programme was launched in 2017 under the patronage of Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan and developed from a national campaign to an internationally recognised model project within a few years.
According to the Ministry of the Environment, millions of tons of recyclable waste have been returned to the economic cycle, and significant amounts of water, energy and raw materials have been saved.
Today, more than a thousand certified institutions participate in the programme. Schools, universities, hospitals, companies and municipalities are part of the system.
The initiative received international recognition from the United Nations. In 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted the International Day of Zero Waste at the initiative of Türkiye.
This turned a national environmental project into a global reference model for circular economy and resource efficiency.
Türkiye's new role in climate diplomacy
However, the real significance of COP31 may lie less in technical issues than in diplomacy.
Hardly any other country moves in such different geopolitical areas at the same time. Türkiye is a NATO member, a candidate for EU accession, an important partner of numerous states in Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, and an active mediator in international crises.
This special position could play a central role, especially in climate policy. Many negotiations have been failing for years due to tensions between industrialised and developing countries.
Controversial issues remain the financing of climate protection measures, technology transfer, and adaptation to climate crisis.
Ankara sees an opportunity here. The Turkish leadership argues that states with experience in both development processes and industrialisation processes can build bridges between different interests.
COP31 President-elect Murat Kurum summed up this claim in three terms: dialogue, consensus and action.
He will be supported by Samed Agirbas, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, who will focus more on the topics of circular economy and social participation at the conference.
More than just a host
For Türkiye, COP31 is much more than a major international event.
The conference offers the country an opportunity to bring its experience in renewable energy, the circular economy, sustainable urban development, and climate diplomacy to the global stage.
In recent years, Türkiye has often received international attention for its foreign policy initiatives, its mediation efforts in regional crises, and the successes of its defence industry.
These factors remain important components of its international profile. At the same time, however, the country has become an important player in sustainable development and climate policy.
With the expansion of renewable energy, the international recognition of the ‘Zero Waste’ initiative, and ambitious climate targets, Türkiye has shown that economic development, energy security, and climate protection can be compatible.
COP31 now offers the opportunity to bring these experiences into the international debate and to promote exchange between industrialised and developing countries.
Antalya 2026 could therefore be remembered not only as the venue for another world climate conference.
The conference has the potential to mark a new stage in international climate diplomacy, in which Türkiye further consolidates its role as a bridge-builder between regions, interests and development models.
For a country that connects Europe, Asia, the Mediterranean and the Global South, this is not just a diplomatic task but a natural responsibility.
(This article was first published on TRT Deutsch)
