World leaders gather in Antalya as Turkish president calls for climate action
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged global leaders to move from awareness to action as the COP31 World Leaders Climate Action Summit opened in Antalya.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan opened the World Leaders Climate Action Summit at COP31 in Antalya, calling on global leaders to move from awareness to action. Erdoğan emphasized that humanity faces one of its most profound existential crises and framed the conference as a choice between complaint and concrete steps.
The two-day summit brought together more than 100 leaders, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Western representation was limited, with European Union leaders present including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen alongside heads of state from Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Malta, and Slovenia. Side discussions at the conference also highlighted the role of women and youth in climate leadership.
Sources: Anadolu Ajansı (Anadolu Agency), Bianet, Cumhuriyet, Daily Sabah, TRT Haber.
How outlets assessed this
- TRT Haber Supportive Framed the summit as a historic landmark showcasing Türkiye's leadership in the global fight against climate change.
- Cumhuriyet Cautious Emphasized that global emission commitments still fall short of Paris Agreement targets despite more than a decade of talks.
Sources
- Daily Sabah — Erdoğan warns against existential crisis, urges action at COP31
- TRT Haber (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation) — Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan: İnsanlık tarihinin en derin varoluş krizlerinden birini yaşıyor
- Cumhuriyet — Erdoğan, COP31 Liderler Zirvesi'nde konuştu: 'Önümüzde iki seçenek var'
- Bianet — Liderler Zirvesi’nin son günü
- Anadolu Ajansı (Anadolu Agency) — COP31'de "Farkındalıktan Eyleme: İklim Liderliğinde Kadınların ve Gençlerin Güçlendirilmesi" paneli düzenlendi
Earlier coverage
- Nov 13, 2026, 10:00 AM UTCErdoğan demands global shift to implementation as Antalya climate summit concludes
- Nov 12, 2026, 09:30 PM UTCWorld leaders conclude summit discussions at COP31 in Antalya
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