ASTANA – Kazakhstan is preparing to sign around 28 cooperation documents, including 19 memorandums of understanding, at the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), which opens Nov. 9 in Antalya, Türkiye.
Photo credit: eccoclimate.org
The preliminary package covers meteorology, energy transition, climate investment, clean technologies, environmental protection and healthcare. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources will determine the final list after consultations with international partners.
Kazakhstan’s national pavilion, organized by the state-owned waste management company Zhasyl Damu with the ministry’s support, will host more than 35 events bringing together government officials, international organizations, financial institutions, businesses and climate experts.
A key event will bring together environment ministers from five Central Asian countries to discuss regional cooperation and joint responses to environmental challenges.
The pavilion’s program will focus on turning climate commitments into investment opportunities and practical projects. The International Center for Green Technologies and Investment Projects (IGTIC) will present several initiatives, including the Kazakhstan Climate Investment Platform (QCIP), developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Ecology, the Ministry of Energy and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Other priorities include developing international carbon market mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, with the participation of Verra, Evident and Zhasyl Damu, and strengthening climate transparency through enhanced reporting systems and a Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) project in cooperation with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Discussions will also cover circular economy initiatives, waste processing, industrial decarbonization, clean technologies and climate adaptation. Regional priorities include the restoration of the Northern Aral Sea, protection of Caspian ecosystems, sustainable water management, climate-resilient agriculture and the restoration of forests and steppes.
The technology agenda will address the use of artificial intelligence and space technologies in climate monitoring, methane emissions tracking and building energy efficiency. Other sessions will examine climate change impacts on public health, environmental education and youth engagement.
Türkiye hosts COP31 for the first time
Türkiye is hosting the UN climate conference for the first time. The event runs through Nov. 20 and is expected to bring together delegations from 196 countries and the European Union. According to Türkiye’s Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, leaders from 102 countries and more than 300 ministers have confirmed their participation.
The summit of heads of state and government is scheduled for Nov. 11-12 and will be chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum will lead the conference on behalf of the host country.
The agenda will cover clean energy transition, food security, climate-resilient cities, green industrialization, waste reduction, marine protection and resilient healthcare systems.
Türkiye has promoted the concept of an “action-oriented” COP, emphasizing the implementation of climate commitments through concrete projects.
Organizers expect around 100,000 visitors at the official conference venue and up to 1.5 million in the public exhibition area. More than 45,000 climate volunteers from 154 countries have also registered.
Among Türkiye’s initiatives are its Zero Waste program and plans to build 455,000 climate-resilient homes across 11 provinces affected by the Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes.
