Director of Climate Change Prof. Halil Hasar made key remarks on COP31 on CNN Türk.

31 August 2026

Director of Climate Change Prof. Halil Hasar made key remarks on COP31 on CNN Türk.

In an interview with CNN Türk on the upcoming UN Climate Summit, which will convene 197 parties in Antalya this November, Director Hasar underscored the strategic weight of hosting the event in Türkiye. Highlighting how heavy industrial emissions and global carbon outputs drive rising temperatures, Director Hasar noted: “Combating climate change is far beyond the reach of any single nation. It demands seamless, global cooperation.”

“Türkiye commands the diplomatic reach to engage all parties”

Emphasizing that assuming the COP Presidency directly reflects a nation's diplomatic leverage and global standing, Director Hasar outlined Türkiye's pivotal role:

“A fundamental deficit of trust currently persists between developed and developing nations. Türkiye’s position here is crucial, as it possesses the diplomatic authority to bridge both sides—a capability already proven through its peace diplomacy.”

“At COP31, Türkiye holds a conciliatory role, capable of uniting all parties around the table, not merely a participant”

Pointing to the economic and strategic stakes beyond environmental policy, Director Hasar stated that decisions finalized in Antalya will chart the course for the global economy. Reiterating Türkiye's conciliatory role throughout this process, Director Hasar concluded:

“COP serves as the decision-making platform that shapes national development roadmaps for the next half-century. At COP31, Türkiye holds a conciliatory role, capable of uniting all parties around the table, not merely a participant. This underscores Türkiye’s profound standing as a mediator capable of convening all nations, driving consensus, facilitating dialogue, listening attentively, delivering solutions, and translating those outcomes into binding decisions.”