Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the political commitment shown at the COP31 Leaders' Summit in Antalya was a positive sign for advancing the goals of the Paris Agreement, urging sustained determination to keep the 1.5C target within reach.
"The political commitment demonstrated in Antalya is encouraging for the work to be carried out under the Paris Agreement. Let us maintain this determination, continue our efforts towards implementation and make the 1.5-degree target achievable," he said in a statement on Thursday.
Erdogan expressed his "deepest gratitude" to all heads of state and government who attended the summit, stressing that their gathering and direct messages carried particular significance at a time of major international challenges.
He said their participation demonstrated a political commitment to climate action and confidence that the challenges facing the world could be overcome through cooperation.
The Turkish president also thanked all parties, international organisations, multilateral development banks and stakeholders for their active contributions, saying their constructive engagement had provided strong encouragement for COP31 proceedings.
Noting that the 2015 Paris Agreement had entered its second decade, Erdogan said discussions at the summit had reaffirmed that tackling climate crisis was both a scientific and moral imperative.
"Our responsibility extends to all people whose lives are already being affected, to future generations and to the world on which both our societies and economies depend," he said.
Electrification, green industrialisation among priorities
Erdogan noted that high-level events held during the summit had enabled extensive discussions on electrification, implementation, green industrialisation, resilience, zero waste and climate finance.
These events also highlighted the priorities of Africa, the Pacific and other regions, underscoring the importance of advancing climate action in ways that respond to development needs and national circumstances, he said.
Referring to recent natural disasters, the loss of life and the destruction of livelihoods, Erdogan said these developments demonstrated the humanitarian urgency of climate efforts.
He expressed solidarity with affected communities and those supporting their recovery, emphasising the need to strengthen early warning systems, resilience and adaptation measures, particularly for those most exposed to climate risks.
"These issues must remain at the centre of our efforts as we seize the opportunities offered by electrification, green industrialisation and sustainable development," he said.
'Implementation-focused COP'
Erdogan said the summit had also highlighted the importance of ensuring access to finance for those most in need, noting that the Climate Implementation Bridge had received strong support.
He said the mechanism aimed to translate existing commitments into concrete outcomes through closer cooperation among countries, financial institutions and stakeholders while supporting country-led action on adaptation, resilience and sustainable development.
"COP31 was designed as an implementation-focused COP," Erdogan said, welcoming support for the "35x35 Global Electrification Pledge."
He said many leaders had highlighted the opportunities offered by electrification during the summit and that numerous countries had already joined the initiative.
Expanding electrification through approaches tailored to countries' own needs and priorities could contribute to energy security and development, he added.
Erdogan said Türkiye's COP31 presidency had sought to give greater political prominence to implementation and bring governments and stakeholders together around practical solutions.
He expressed hope that the presidency's lasting contribution would be to establish closer cooperation between those setting national priorities and those helping deliver them as progress continued on implementing the Paris Agreement.
