Türkiye's COP31 President and Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Murat Kurum has warned that no country, regardless of its economic or military strength, can remain insulated from the accelerating global climate crisis.
Speaking at the COP31 Ministers' Dinner at the NEST Congress and Exhibition Centre in Antalya, Kurum stressed that only collective international cooperation can shield vulnerable communities from environmental breakdown.
"Nothing can stop rising seas. No wall can prevent drought. No flag can change the direction of a storm. Climate change reminds us of a very important truth: Our destinies are interconnected," Kurum told assembled delegates.
Hosted by Türkiye for the first time, the UN Climate Change Conference convened on Monday and runs through November 20, bringing together representatives from 196 nations alongside the European Union.
Action over rhetoric
Kurum emphasised solidarity with coastal families confronting sea-level rise and farmers facing parched, cracked soil, insisting that economic development and environmental stewardship must proceed hand in hand.
"We have a dream. One day, no child anywhere in the world will have to dream of accessing a clean sip of water. One day, no mother will fear for her child's future because of drought and disasters," he said, envisioning an international order where wealthy and developing states acknowledge shared risks under the same sky.
Addressing ministers, business leaders, civil society figures, and artists gathered in Antalya, Kurum stressed that hope alone cannot substitute for difficult political choices and collective determination.
"We are not here merely to set new targets. We are here to lay the foundations for a future in which commitments are translated into action," Kurum said.
"Future generations will remember us not for our speeches, but for the decisions we make. They will forget the documents we sign and remember the lives we protect."
Reaffirming Ankara's commitment under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kurum pledged that Türkiye would mobilise its institutions and 86 million citizens to help foster a fairer, more liveable planet: "We will take responsibility for our common home, our world, and our shared future."
