9 November 2026, Antalya – Civil society organisations from Türkiye and Australia came together today at COP31 for a joint side event to highlight the urgent need for a global transition away from fossil fuels and call on both countries to demonstrate climate leadership through concrete action at home.
The event at the Australian Pavilion in Antalya followed up on the demands outlined in a joint letter signed by almost 100 civil society organisations from Türkiye and Australia, which was delivered in Bonn in June 2026 to Türkiye’s COP31 President, Minister for Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Murat Kurum, and Australia’s President of Negotiations, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen.
The letter called on both countries to establish credible national climate pathways, accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels, advance the Just Transition Mechanism that puts the public and the climate at its heart and scale up climate finance to ensure polluters pay.
Emel Türker Alpay from Greenpeace Türkiye, a member of Climate Network Türkiye, called for a binding coal phase-out and a people-centred just transition:
“Türkiye’s 2035 climate target, which is projected to increase rather than reduce emissions, and its plans for new coal investments contradict the urgent transformation needed to tackle the climate crisis. For COP31 to become a credible platform for climate action, Türkiye must turn its commitments into concrete steps. New coal projects must be halted, public subsidies for coal must end, and a binding timeline for a just coal phase-out must be established. A genuine just transition strategy must guarantee employment and income security for workers in coal-dependent regions, support regional economic development and address gender equality. Electrification targets must be powered by wind and solar, rather than coal and gas, and supported by energy efficiency, storage and strong grid infrastructure. Türkiye must use its COP31 Presidency as an opportunity to deliver real transformation in climate action.”
Denise Cauchi, CEO of Climate Action Network Australia, said:
“When climate disasters hit, it’s communities that hurt. When fossil fuel prices spike, it’s communities who pay. At this COP, Australia and Türkiye must shepherd in a transition away from fossil fuels in a way that’s fair for communities around the world and leaves no one behind. To show credibility as leaders, Australia must lead by example – ending coal and gas expansion at home and delivering climate finance to make the transition possible.”
Dr Simon Bradshaw, COP31 Lead, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said:
“The world is in a moment of flux. We know it is in moments of huge upheaval that era-defining progress can happen — but only when countries step up and lead. As Australia takes control of COP31 Negotiations, we have an opportunity and responsibility to shepherd global climate cooperation through this moment of interlocking crises. That means backing Pacific leadership and priorities, and leading by example at home to end fossil fuels and deliver new, multi-year climate finance commitments. In Türkiye, the Australian government can rise to the occasion and show what true climate leadership looks like, but we cannot move the world towards a clean energy future while expanding the industry we need to leave behind.”
