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25 June 2026

COP31 Chief Climate Diplomacy Officer and Director of Climate Change Prof. Halil Hasar delivered an address at the ‘Education, Skills, and Circular Economy: An Action-Oriented Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue’ program during his visit to the UK capital for London Climate Action Week.

Speaking at the event co-organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in London and the University of Cambridge, Director of Climate Change Hasar emphasized that success in combating the climate crisis is not achievable through governments alone, but rather depends on the collective efforts of universities, the business world, civil society, and youth.

“Youth is our priority focus at COP31”

Director of Climate Change Hasar noted, “‘Youth and Education’ stands out as one of the key pillars of the COP31 Action Agenda. As the COP31 Presidency, we view young people not merely as beneficiaries of climate action, but as the very architects and implementers who shape it. In line with this vision, our core priorities include enhancing climate literacy, developing green skills, and nurturing the human capital required by a low-carbon economy. We strongly believe that universities are among the most powerful stakeholders in this transformation, driven by their knowledge production, innovation capacity, and the skilled professionals they train. On the road to COP31, we will continue to reinforce our cooperation with the academic world.”

Co-hosted in partnership with the University of Cambridge, this high-level dialogue convened senior representatives from government, universities, educational bodies, industry, and international climate bodies to explore how education, skills, and institutional partnerships can accelerate the transition toward circular, low-carbon, and zero-waste economies.