Türkiye Seeks to Cut Climate Project Delays, COP31 CEO Says

Türkiye is seeking to speed up climate action by tackling funding barriers that can delay projects for years, as it prepares to host the 31st UN climate conference (COP31). Speaking to Daily Sabah, Deputy Minister Fatma Varank, who is also COP31 chief executive, said financing remains a major challenge, particularly for least-developed countries that lack technical capacity.

Varank said preparing projects, signing consultancy agreements and completing procurement and tender procedures can take four to five years. Türkiye has developed a Climate Implementation Bridge to link viable projects with public and private financial institutions. By COP31, it hopes to complete first reporting on five pilot countries.

Türkiye has set six measurable targets for 2035 under its COP31 Action Agenda, including raising the share of electricity in final energy consumption to 35%. Varank estimated these could cut projected global emissions in 2035 by about 20% to 25%, but the figure could not be independently confirmed. Türkiye expects around 100,000 visitors to the summit.