COP31 and Zero Waste: Türkiye's Climate Diplomacy Explained

Why It Matters

Türkiye is scheduled to host the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya in November 2026, and it is the first time a country with a large coal-using economy, developing-country climate finance claims and an active UN diplomacy agenda holds the host role under a shared arrangement with Australia. The Zero Waste initiative is the policy brand Ankara uses most prominently to present itself as a constructive climate actor. This guide explains what has officially been stated, what remains uncertain, and how Turkish and other sources frame the issue.

Background

The COP31 hosting question

UN climate conferences rotate among the five UN regional groups. Both Türkiye and Australia belong to the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) at the UN, and both sought to host COP31. Because UNFCCC decisions are taken by consensus, the contest was resolved by negotiation rather than by a vote.

According to announcements and press coverage around the close of COP30 in Belém (November 2025), the compromise was:

• Venue and host: Antalya, Türkiye, in November 2026.
• Presidency: a Turkish minister, reported to be Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum, is designated as COP31 President.
• Negotiations: Australia holds a dedicated role leading the negotiating track (reported as 'President of Negotiations', associated with Australian minister Chris Bowen).
• Pacific link: a pre-COP meeting is planned in the Pacific region, reflecting Pacific island states' support for Australia's bid.

The exact legal wording of this split, the host-country agreement and the conference dates are set by UNFCCC decisions and documents. Readers should consult the UNFCCC Secretariat and the Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change for the current text. This article attributes details to the parties' statements rather than treating every reported detail as settled.

The Zero Waste initiative

The Zero Waste (Sıfır Atık) initiative began in 2017 under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan, the spouse of the President of the Republic of Türkiye. It is a national program covering waste prevention, separate collection, recycling and public awareness in households, schools, public buildings, hotels and businesses. Key milestones:

The resolution was initiated by Türkiye and adopted by consensus with a broad group of co-sponsors. The UN observance is global and is not limited to Türkiye's own program.

Türkiye's status under the climate regime

• UNFCCC (1992): Türkiye was originally listed in Annex I (developed-country list) and Annex II. At the 2001 Marrakesh conference, Decision 26/CP.7 removed Türkiye from Annex II and recognized its 'special circumstances', which differ from other Annex I parties.
• Kyoto Protocol: Türkiye became a party in 2009 without a binding emissions target.
• Paris Agreement: The Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) approved ratification in October 2021, making Türkiye one of the last major economies to ratify. In the same period, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced a net-zero emissions target for 2053.
• Updated NDC (2023): Türkiye submitted a revised Nationally Determined Contribution targeting a reduction of up to 41% compared with a business-as-usual scenario by 2030 (about 643 Mt CO2e), with emissions to peak no later than 2038.
• Climate Law (2025): TBMM adopted a framework Climate Law in July 2025, including provisions for an emissions trading system. This is widely seen as relevant to EU trade rules such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

Key Players & Positions

UNFCCC Secretariat and the COP process

The UNFCCC Secretariat organizes the conference with the host. It publishes the decisions and procedural rules on presidencies, and it is the authoritative source for dates, host-country agreements and accreditation arrangements.

Australia and Pacific island states

Australia's government has described its role as leading the negotiating track, and has emphasized the Pacific dimension, including a pre-COP in the region. Pacific states, which face sea-level rise, argue that their voices should be prominent in a COP31 outcome. Their official statements are the best source for their priorities.

The European Union and other developed economies

The EU and several other parties have generally welcomed a negotiated outcome that avoided a deadlock. They also keep pressing all major emitters, including Türkiye, to align targets with the 1.5°C goal and to phase out unabated coal. EU trade policy (CBAM) gives Türkiye, a major EU trading partner, a practical incentive to price carbon domestically.

Environmental organizations and analysts

Independent trackers such as Climate Action Tracker have assessed Türkiye's targets as insufficient relative to Paris Agreement goals, and NGOs point to coal's continuing role in electricity generation and to waste-import policy. Turkish officials respond that the renewable share of installed capacity has grown substantially (more than half of installed electricity capacity, according to Turkish energy ministry data) and that nuclear and efficiency programs are part of the 2053 pathway.

Developing-country blocs

Some developing countries watch whether Türkiye's claim to differentiated treatment on climate finance becomes a precedent. Others see Türkiye's Global South outreach, including in Africa, as useful for COP31 bridge-building.

Source Comparison

A fair reading is that both sides cite verifiable facts: Turkish sources document institutional and legal steps, while independent trackers measure ambition against the 1.5°C goal. For how Regionscope separates fact, position and source, see Editorial Principles.

Key Terms & Related Guides

• COP31: the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, scheduled for Antalya in November 2026.
• UNFCCC: the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the parent treaty of the Paris Agreement.
• NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution): each country's own climate pledge under the Paris Agreement.
• Business-as-usual (BAU): a projected emissions baseline against which Türkiye measures its 2030 reduction.
• Annex I / Annex II: UNFCCC country lists; Türkiye was removed from Annex II in 2001 and has 'special circumstances' status.
• Zero Waste (Sıfır Atık): Türkiye's waste-prevention and recycling program, now linked to the UN International Day of Zero Waste.
• CBAM: the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, a carbon-pricing tool on certain imports.

Related reading: Regionscope home, Fact Check: Common Claims About Türkiye in International Media, About Regionscope.

Regionscope presents global and regional affairs with a dedicated perspective from Türkiye. Sections marked 'Türkiye's Position' reflect official Turkish policy and legal doctrines as stated by Turkish primary sources.

Cross-Publication Dossiers & Sister Desk Perspectives

For complementary primary-source analysis across our specialist editorial network, consult:

• The Political Accord: COP31 and Climate Diplomacy: Türkiye's Zero Waste Initiative and Hosting Role — How Türkiye's climate diplomacy works: the Zero Waste initiative, the 2053 net-zero goal, and the COP31 Antalya hosting and presidency arrangement explained.
• The State Papers: COP31 and Climate Diplomacy: Türkiye's Zero Waste Initiative and Hosting Role — How Türkiye's COP31 hosting role, Zero Waste initiative and 2053 net-zero target fit together: verified facts, stakeholder views and Ankara's stated policy.
• Bloc Politics: COP31 and Türkiye's Climate Diplomacy: Zero Waste, Hosting Role and What to Expect — How COP31 in Antalya works, what Türkiye's climate diplomacy and Zero Waste initiative mean, and how the EU, Global South and Pacific frame the talks.