Turkish NGOs see COP31 as rare chance to push climate action despite crackdown fears

Ahead of COP31, Turkish NGOs are hopeful that the UN climate summit will provide a unique platform to advocate for climate action in a nation where public protest space has become increasingly limited. The People’s Climate Summit, held alongside the main event in Antalya from November 9, will feature debates, workshops, cultural events, and a large rally.

While hosting COP31 is viewed as a diplomatic triumph for Turkey, NGOs and civil society organizations acknowledge the authorities' reluctance to permit activism during the annual climate summit. Police raids on the LGBTQ community and terror-related arrests preceding the NATO summit in Ankara have served as cautionary signs for the upcoming COP31.

However, Ozlem Katisoz, a senior climate policy coordinator for Climate Action Network (CAN) in Turkey, warns that, despite the heightened vigilance, nobody should be complacent. She notes that, while Turkey may not replicate the scale of the NATO crackdown, it could still take swift and extensive measures to curtail dissent. At COP30 in Brazil, the climate summit saw tens of thousands of peaceful protesters, a stark contrast to previous events in Egypt, the UAE, and Azerbaijan, where protests outside the UN venue were deemed unsafe.

Cigdem Ozbas, a key organizer of the People’s Climate Summit, emphasizes that the event is primarily a gathering of civil society rather than a Nato-style military exercise. So far, over 1,000 people have pledged to participate in the rally, including more than 300 organizations from 100 countries. During the first week, various forums and thematic meetings will be held to scrutinize proposals deemed as greenwashing or unfulfilled commitments.

During the second week, the focus will shift to examining such issues. US climate organizations are set to conduct puppet-making workshops, culminating in a carnival-like rally on November 14, attended by unions, rights groups, and others, who aim to send a clear message to decision-makers about their discontent. Suheyla Dogan of the Kazdagi nature protection association, which campaigns against mining projects, underscores the importance of exercising their right to assembly and demonstration within the bounds of the law.

CAN's Katisoz stresses the necessity of formalized channels for civil society groups to engage with policymakers and hold Turkey accountable for its climate actions, particularly given the ongoing coal plant projects and expansions.