COP31 Climate Conference Targets Measurable Action in Antalya, Türkiye Aims for Results Türkiye aims to turn climate targets into measurable action at the COP31 UN climate conference in Antalya in November, says Minister Murat Kurum at the Action Agenda launch in New York. Türkiye aims to turn climate targets into measurable action at the COP31 UN climate conference in Antalya in November, Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum has said. Speaking at the launch of the COP31 Action Agenda in New York on Monday, Kurum said the priority was to translate existing commitments into concrete results and overcome barriers to implementation. COP31 Action Agenda Launched in New YorkThe event took place at the UN Economic and Social Council Chamber during his visit for the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. Kurum serves as COP31 president. He said there was broad agreement on the urgency of the climate crisis, with common targets already established and workable solutions available worldwide.The challenge, he said, was putting those solutions into practice by improving access to finance, addressing capacity gaps and matching technology and investment with needs. Kurum outlined three fundamental principles guiding the process: dialogue, consensus and action. Through dialogue, different needs and priorities are heard; through consensus, areas for joint action are identified; and through action, the partnership is turned into concrete results.Key Targets and Initiatives for 2035The COP31 Action Agenda comprises 10 priority themes, six global targets, 11 initiatives and 13 supporting outputs, covering areas from energy and industry to cities, food, oceans and health. Kurum said the agenda was developed through extensive consultations with countries, international organisations, financial institutions, businesses and civil society.He outlined global targets for 2035 in areas including energy consumption, waste, recycling and carbon dioxide reductions. One key aim is to increase the share of electricity in final energy consumption to 35 percent by 2035. Through the COP31 Global Electrification Initiative, electrification will be accelerated on a global scale.Kurum said barriers to implementation, needs and areas for joint progress were assessed. Views and recommendations put forward at the launch will be reflected in the process leading up to Antalya. However, he emphasised that Antalya is not seen as the final destination, but rather a turning point where implementation accelerates in a visible and measurable way.International Participation and EU CooperationUN climate chief Simon Stiell, UN Assistant Secretary-General Selwin Hart, COP30 President Andre Aranha Correa do Lago, COP29 Lead Negotiator Yalcin Rafiyev, COP31 Executive Director Kushla Munro and World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Celeste Saulo also addressed the event. Ministers and deputy ministers from around 20 countries attended alongside representatives of international financial institutions.Kurum also met European Commissioner for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth Wopke Hoekstra in New York to discuss Türkiye-EU climate cooperation and preparations for COP31. Kurum said COP31 is seen as an important opportunity to take Türkiye-EU climate relations to a more strategic and results-oriented level, and expressed readiness to work closely with the European Commission to translate climate targets into implementation and commitments into concrete action.He called for active EU contributions to the conference, the Action Agenda’s initiatives and its global implementation goals, hoping the meeting would further strengthen cooperation.