Türkiye urges faster action on interconnected climate threats

Türkiye's Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum on Wednesday warned that the world's most pressing environmental challenges are deeply interconnected, calling for faster global action to combat climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation. Speaking via video message to the UN desertification conference in Ulaanbaatar, Kurum — who also serves as president of this year's COP31 climate summit — stressed that these crises cannot be addressed in isolation.

Triple crisis demands integrated response

"Climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation are not separate problems," Kurum told delegates at COP17 in Mongolia. He pointed to accelerating forest fires worldwide, more than 1 million species facing extinction and the degradation of up to 40% of global land as evidence that the planet is sending "a very clear message." "We need to take faster and stronger steps," he added.

COP31 presidency built on dialogue and action

Kurum outlined the guiding principles for Türkiye's hosting of COP31 in Antalya this Nov. 9-20, saying the presidency would prioritize dialogue, consensus and concrete action. "We will bring countries together around the same table through dialogue. We will strengthen our common will through consensus. Through action, we will turn this will into concrete results," he said. "We now want action, not words."

From Ankara Initiative to Climate Bridge

The minister noted that Türkiye had previously hosted COP12 in Ankara in 2015 and subsequently launched the Ankara Initiative, which has helped more than 100 countries achieve land degradation-neutral targets. He also highlighted Türkiye's signing of the Rio Synergy Protocol to strengthen cooperation among the three Rio Conventions. Kurum said COP31 would focus on six priority areas including clean energy transition, zero waste and circular economy, climate-resilient cities, and sustainable agriculture, while the Climate Implementation Bridge aims to accelerate climate finance flows toward 2035 targets.