COP31, which began today in Antalya, will address an intensive agenda covering investment, financing and technology alongside climate negotiations. Throughout the conference, the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Investment and Finance Office will discuss with international organizations, financial institutions and global companies how to turn climate goals into investment projects, while Türk Telekom is responsible for the summit’s communications infrastructure.
Investment Office: Turning climate goals into investment
The program’s flagship event will be the “Accelerating Green Investment: Policies, Investment Vision and Best Practices” panel, organized in cooperation with the International Investors Association (YASED) at the Türkiye Pavilion in the Blue Zone on Nov. 13, Finance and Trade Day. Office President Burak Dağlıoğlu will attend the panel, where representatives of YASED, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Renault Group and MAN Truck & Bus will speak.
On the same day, the “From Payments to the Planet: Digital Financial Infrastructure for Climate Finance” panel will be held at the Climate Finance Hub in the Green Zone together with the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye. Central Bank Governor Fatih Karahan and Sabine Mauderer, Vice President of the Deutsche Bundesbank, are expected to speak at the panel from 13:45 to 14:30. Instant payment systems, tokenization and the contribution of artificial intelligence to climate finance will be discussed.
The program also includes a high-level roundtable on green foreign direct investment as part of the Sustainable Innovation Forum on Nov. 10, a COP31 Special Reception on Nov. 12 marking the Office’s 20th anniversary, and the Global Energy Investment Forum on Nov. 13. Sessions will cover automotive on Nov. 10, the circular economy and supply chains on Nov. 11, the Istanbul Finance Center on Nov. 13, and logistics on Nov. 17. On the final day, Nov. 20, a series of “Financing and Incentives Day: Meeting with Funds” panels will be held.
According to the Office’s report “Towards COP31: Sustainability Vision and Green FDI,” the 94 climate-friendly investment projects supported during 2022-2025 have an investment volume of $8.4 billion and the potential to create 25,589 jobs. Dağlıoğlu said, “Turning climate goals into tangible investments depends not only on strong policies but also on mobilizing the capital, technology and international cooperation needed to put these goals into practice.”
Türk Telekom: 1.3 million meters of fiber, 400 gigabits per second
Türk Telekom, the summit’s Master Partner and “Global Digital Transformation and Technology” supporter, built infrastructure connecting the summit to the world at a capacity of 400 gigabits per second, using 1.3 million meters of fiber-optic cable across an area of 1.1 million square meters. It established 1,800 wireless access points at the venue and installed new base stations for mobile infrastructure covering 5G. A data center, network operations center and cybersecurity operations center were also brought online.
Türk Telekom CEO Ebubekir Şahin said, “While the world speaks in Antalya, Türk Telekom will carry that conversation.” Şahin said the company aims to reach 530 megawatts-peak of installed capacity through solar power plants in Sivas, Malatya’s Darende district and Ağrı, meeting approximately 65% of its electricity consumption from solar power, and added that its issuances through sustainable financing instruments had reached a total of $1.1 billion.
Konya’s butterflies in the Blue Zone
Selçuklu Municipality brought an exact replica of the Konya Tropical Butterfly Garden to the COP31 venue. The 2,600-square-meter garden will host 20,000 butterflies from 10 different species, along with delegations and visitors from around the world. Visitors will also receive information about the role of butterflies in the ecosystem and the protection of biodiversity.
Expected contribution to Antalya’s economy
Antalya’s business community expects the summit to leave lasting benefits for the city. Onur Kacar, chairman of the Antalya branch of the Anatolian Lions Businessmen’s Association (ASKON), said COP31 is expected to generate approximately $2 billion in direct economic activity in the city, while total economic added value is expected to reach $3-4 billion. Kacar said the media center, which will serve approximately 4,000 media members, and more than 300 press conferences would make a significant contribution to promoting the city.
Yusuf Akgül, chairman of the Antalya branch of the Independent Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (MÜSİAD), said, “If we make good use of this opportunity, we can turn COP31’s economic impact from activity lasting a few weeks into a lasting gain extending over the coming years.” The ministry said Turkish brands would be present in the summit’s food and beverage areas, while most products would be sourced from local and regional producers, supporting farmers in Antalya and the surrounding area.
Cover and photos: AA
