AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at the opening session of the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP31) Leaders' Summit held in Antalya.
Erdoğan stated that this is the first time Turkey has hosted the COP Leaders' Summit and expressed his hope that the conference will be a new turning point in the fight against the climate crisis. He thanked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his support of the conference, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for the partnership model developed for COP31, and Brazil and Azerbaijan for sharing the experiences they gained from their previous COP presidencies.
Stating that COP31 was designed to reflect the richness of Anatolia through its workspaces, events, and content, Erdoğan noted that the halls in the blue and green zones were named after Turkey's historical figures, cultural heritage, and natural assets. Erdoğan stated that low-emission transportation, zero waste, water and energy efficiency, and carbon offsetting practices have been implemented in a holistic manner.
"WE HAVE ONLY ONE ROOF; THAT IS THE SKY"
Emphasizing that environmental awareness is a common concern for ancient civilizations, deep-rooted cultures, and religions, Erdoğan said, "As humanity, we have only one roof for our home. That is the sky. As humanity, we have only one garden for our home. That is the earth."
Erdoğan argued that humanity is facing a profound existential crisis due to the ambition of excessive consumption. Pointing to global warming, loss of biodiversity, excessive consumption of natural resources, food security, and sudden climate events, Erdoğan said that no country, from the Mediterranean Basin to Africa, and from Asia to the small island states in the Pacific, can be considered separate from this picture.
Reminding that the first COP meeting was held in Berlin 31 years ago, Erdoğan stated that the decisions taken to date have brought the idea of fighting climate change to humanity's agenda, but the same results have not been achieved in practice. Stating that every minute that the Paris Agreement goals are not met increases risks and costs, Erdoğan said, "We have two options before us. We will either look at the difficulties and complain, or we will embrace hope and take action."
Expressing that Turkey has assumed the COP31 presidency with this understanding, Erdoğan used the phrase, "We chose to light a candle instead of punching at the darkness." Stating that they aim for this to be an 'implementation COP' so that it serves as an example for future organizations, Erdoğan said that the partnership between Turkey and Australia will bring a new breath to the fight against climate change.
News Source: 12punto
