On the Road to COP31, UN Türkiye Highlights Urban Resilience as a Climate Priority

“Urban resilience is one of the most cost-effective climate investments globally,” United Nations Resident Coordinator in Türkiye Dr. Babatunde Ahonsi said at the “Türkiye’s Road to COP31: Resilient Cities Regional Forum” held in Hatay on 8–9 May 2026. Ahonsi delivered the remarks during the High-Level Special Session titled “From the Disaster of the Century to the Construction of Sustainable Cities,” which brought together ministers, international organizations and development partners to discuss climate-resilient urban transformation ahead of COP31, which Türkiye will host in Antalya in 2026.

The forum convened representatives from governments, local authorities, international organizations, financial institutions, academia and civil society to explore pathways for resilient, inclusive and low-carbon urban development. Organized under the COP31 vision of “Dialogue – Consensus – Action,” the event focused on strengthening cooperation and advancing practical solutions for cities facing growing climate and disaster risks.

COP31 President and Türkiye’s Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum emphasized that resilient cities should become a central pillar of the international climate agenda. “We aim to make supporting resilient cities one of the main priorities of the global climate agenda at COP31,” he said, stressing the importance of strengthening green building standards, resilient infrastructure and climate financing mechanisms globally. 

Kurum also underlined that climate change is no longer only an environmental issue, but one directly affecting human security, economies and daily life. Referring to the reconstruction efforts in the earthquake-affected region, he highlighted Türkiye’s approach based on energy efficiency, sustainability, Zero Waste principles and climate-resilient urban planning. 

In his remarks, Ahonsi stressed that cities stand “at the intersection of risk, vulnerability and opportunity” and called for climate solutions that are locally implementable and financeable. He emphasized that recovery and reconstruction efforts following the February 2023 earthquakes provide an opportunity to accelerate climate action while strengthening long-term resilience.

Ahonsi also highlighted the importance of a “whole-of-government, whole-of-society and whole-of-UN” approach to resilient urban transformation, stressing stronger coordination among national and local authorities, communities, the private sector and international partners.

The UN Resident Coordinator also attended the panel on "Energy Efficiency: From Efficiency to Sustainability - Energy Transition in Cities," where they provided reflections on how post-disaster reconstruction processes can serve as a critical accelerator for the transition to net-zero cities, drawing on lessons from Türkiye's ongoing recovery experience in the earthquake-affected region.

The programme in Hatay included thematic discussions on adaptation, resilient infrastructure, energy transition and low-carbon cities, examining issues ranging from sustainable mobility and renewable energy integration to disaster-resilient infrastructure and climate-responsive urban governance.

The forum also brought together senior representatives from the United Nations system, including Executive Director of UN-Habitat Anacláudia Rossbach, who highlighted Türkiye’s post-earthquake recovery efforts as an important global example of resilience and large-scale reconstruction. 

Moreover, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), participated in the forum highlighting the importance of coordinated multilateral action for climate-resilient urban transformation.

The event concluded with the adoption of the Hatay Declaration, in which participating countries committed to advancing climate-resilient urban transformation, scaling up financing through blended and climate finance instruments, accelerating urban energy transition, and promoting nature-based solutions. The Declaration called for moving "from policy to implementation, from recovery to transformation, and from global commitments to local action," and was presented as a formal input to the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku in May 2026, and COP31 in Antalya scheduled for November 2026.