Academia–UN Round Table on Climate Action Priorities, Partnerships and Innovation

Good afternoon, distinguished colleagues, esteemed professors and researchers, 

Dear partners from SDSN Türkiye, and

Colleagues from the United Nations system.

It is a pleasure to welcome you to this Academia - UN Round Table on Climate Action Priorities, Partnerships and Innovation, convened in partnership with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Türkiye and the UN Country Team in Türkiye, as part of our collective preparations towards COP31.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Professor Tamer Atabarut and colleagues at SDSN Türkiye, hosted by Boğaziçi University, for their continued leadership and strong partnership in bringing together such a diverse and high-calibre group of academics, researchers, and UN colleagues. This collaboration reflects the growing importance of knowledge networks in shaping actionable, evidence-based climate solutions and strengthening the science–policy–society interface.

Our meeting today also comes at an important moment in the global climate calendar. The discussions and outcomes of the recent Bonn SB64 climate negotiations, alongside the momentum generated during the London Climate Action Week, have reinforced a clear message: the transition from commitments to implementation must be accelerated, and it must be grounded in science, innovation, and inclusive partnerships. In this context, COP31 is increasingly being framed not only as a negotiation milestone, but as an implementation COP; one that demands concrete, scalable, and equitable solutions.

Against this backdrop, today’s Round Table is both timely and strategic. It provides an opportunity to connect Türkiye’s academic excellence and research capacity with the emerging priorities of the COP31 Action Agenda, and to ensure that knowledge institutions are actively contributing to shaping and delivering its ten priority areas. I am particularly encouraged by the rich disciplinary and thematic backgrounds represented among the professors and researchers here today, whose work spans climate science, urban and regional planning, energy systems, social policy, innovation ecosystems, and sustainable development. This breadth of expertise is directly aligned with the interconnected nature of the COP31 Action Agenda priorities, which require integrated and cross-sectoral approaches.

As highlighted in our COP31 Engagement Strategy, academia is not only a source of knowledge, but a critical partner in transforming ambition into implementation. Universities and research institutions play a central role in generating the evidence base for policy, advancing technological and social innovation, and preparing the skills, mindsets and competencies required for the green transition.

Today’s discussion focuses on three interconnected priorities that are central to both Türkiye’s national climate agenda and the global COP31 Action Agenda. 

• First, strengthening green skills and education systems to support the green and just transition, including through curriculum reform, vocational training, and lifelong learning;
• Second, deepening multi-stakeholder partnerships that bring together government, academia, cities, civil society, and the private sector to enable implementation and build lasting institutional and societal legacy; and
• Third, accelerating innovation in science, technology, and data for climate action, including the use of geospatial tools, digital solutions, and evidence-based planning approaches.

Importantly, this dialogue also speaks directly to Türkiye’s young and dynamic population. Ensuring that education systems, universities, and vocational training institutions promote climate awareness and action, and are aligned with emerging labour market needs are essential for creating inclusive green jobs, supporting reskilling and upskilling, and enabling a just transition that leaves no one behind. This is also closely aligned with the Leave No One Behind principle and the broader Sustainable Development Goals, which remain the foundation of our collective development agenda.

Let me also underline the value of and open, candid, and solution-oriented exchange today. The insights generated here will directly inform our ongoing collaboration between the United Nations system and academic institutions in Türkiye and will contribute to shaping a forward-looking academic and knowledge-based contribution to COP31.

I look forward to a rich, practical, and action-oriented discussion.

Thank you.