UN Climate Change Conference COP31 | Türkiye: stage for power-conscious potentates

A stray cat sits in front of a sign reading "I love Antalya" near Konyaalti Beach in Antalya on October 1, 2026. The Turkish Mediterranean metropolis is preparing for the world climate summit on Monday. Photo: AFP/Goksel Yapar The Turkish President loves opportunities like this: the world is a guest in his Turkey and he, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, can proudly show how progressive, how grandiose, how powerful the country over which he presides as a father has supposedly become. The fact that the UN climate conference COP31 is meeting in the Turkish city of Antalya on the Mediterranean is like an election gift for him - even if there are no elections.

When the so-called global community meets in Antalya from November 9th to 20th to debate the global climate and find solutions to the effects of climate change, Turkey wants to send a clear image to the world: that of a modern, environmentally conscious state ready to take a leading role in the global green transition. But behind the glamor of the conference centers, it is easy to overlook the systematic repression of the very voices that would be essential to the success of a real climate change: environmental activists, human rights defenders and civil society.

Amnesty International warns against ignoring the “worsening human rights crisis in the host country,” according to a press release. The Turkish government has been waging a systematic campaign against independent voices such as journalists, environmental activists and members of the LGBTI community for years. And in recent months the reprisals have intensified: "Anyone who talks about protecting our common future must not ignore the serious human rights violations in the host country," explained Julia Duchrow, Secretary General of Amnesty International in Germany. »As the world looks to the climate negotiations, the Turkish government continues its suppression of critical voices. “But a UN climate conference can only be credible if people can freely express their views and protest peacefully – without discrimination or fear of arbitrary sanctions.”

However, the Turkish government does not challenge this. She is trying to cleverly use COP31 as a nation-branding tool. While Environment Minister Murat Kurum publicly promises to "meet" the demands of civil society and create space for expression, reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch paint a completely different picture. Criticism should be stifled at its source: the media are reporting on an agreement reached with the UN to host COP31 in Antalya that would oblige participants not to interfere in Turkey's internal affairs. This reintroduces a clause that was deleted at last year's climate conference in Brazil - a regulation that human rights groups believe could endanger activists.

The attempt at state control becomes particularly clear in the “Green Zone” of the conference. While the UN-administered Blue Zone follows official rules that strictly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, Turkey subjects Green Zone speakers to a questionable "morality clause," reports the news website "bianet." Participants must therefore sign a declaration that their contributions are in accordance with “public morals”. For lawyers like Özlem Altıparmak, this is an alarming signal of state-imposed self-censorship. The vague wording allows the authorities to arbitrarily silence critical voices under the pretext of “propaganda” or violating morals.

"Anyone who talks about protecting our common future must not ignore the serious human rights violations in the host country."

Altıparmak expressed concern that these provisions could lead to speeches being interrupted with reference to "public morals" or "propaganda." "As a lawyer and representative of civil society, I find this practice disturbing," she told "bianet."

»Criticizing climate policy and human rights violations is a fundamental task of civil society. Meaningful and effective participation in COP31 requires not only physical presence on site, but also the opportunity to freely express criticism," she emphasized.

The Turkish authorities don't want to let anything go wrong and have already arrested activists before the summit. As the news website Medyascope reported, Turkish police arrested two union representatives and a lawyer in the southern Turkish city of Antalya on Tuesday.

Criticism also comes from Turkish journalist Can Dündar, who lives in Berlin and is critical of the government. The UN climate conference offers an international stage for actors who are responsible for the dismantling of democracy and environmental destruction in Turkey. At the so-called COP31, "those who imprisoned environmental activists and who destroyed entire forests by issuing mining permits would be on stage," said Dündar, who lives in exile in Berlin, in an interview with the AFP news agency.

Dündar sees a direct connection between the dismantling of democracy and environmental destruction: In Turkey, the environment is “in such a catastrophic state, among other things, because democracy has been destroyed,” the journalist emphasized. That is why the topic of democracy must also be discussed at the World Climate Conference. »You can't just say: 'We care about the destruction of the environment; “The destruction of democracy is none of our business,” warned Dündar. No climate protection can be expected from an autocrat who has imprisoned environmental activists, said the opposition figure, referring to the repressive ruling head of state Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. With agencies

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