Critics call Turkey's COP31 host a 'greenwashing' showcase

The United Nations has moved its annual climate negotiations to the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The event, known as COP31, opened today in the resort city of Antalya. Thousands of diplomats, corporate executives, and world leaders have gathered to negotiate collective agreements on climate change. The Turkish government views the summit as a major diplomatic opportunity.

A promotional video from the Turkish Ministry of Climate features misty forests and the minister speaking at a podium. The narrator asks how long the country can protect the air its citizens breathe. The ministry states that the answer lies in Turkey. The country aims to use its cultural influence and mediation role to solidify its status as a global power. It now seeks to add climate leadership to its diplomatic portfolio.

Ümit Şahin, head of the climate change program at the Istanbul Policy Center, says prestige is the primary driver. He describes the summit as a showcase for Turkey's capabilities as a serious middle power. Şahin notes that Turkey delayed joining major climate agreements for decades. Deadly wildfires about five years ago and European trade taxes forced a policy shift.

In 2021, Turkey ratified the Paris Agreement, a legally binding treaty to limit global warming. The country also established a dedicated climate ministry. Despite these steps, Şahin argues that real climate policy remains absent. He states that the government has produced action plans and strategies, but these are mostly paperwork.

Şahin points to the Zero Waste campaign as a prime example of the gap between policy and practice. The campaign aims to recycle or reuse all waste materials. Turkey currently imports more plastic waste from Europe than any other nation. However, the country burns or dumps much of this material instead of recycling it. Şahin argues that Turkey should ban plastic waste imports to prove its sincerity. He calls the Zero Waste initiative the number one example of greenwashing.

Greenwashing describes the practice of presenting an eco-friendly image while masking destructive environmental practices. Turkish activists are organizing a parallel conference to pressure world leaders during COP31. Çiğdem Özbaş, a volunteer at the People's Climate Summit, accuses the government of favoring business interests over farmers and rural communities. She says the administration is stripping local protections and suppressing domestic dissent.

Özbaş expects delegates to make many claims about technological solutions. She anticipates that companies engaging in ecological damage will present themselves as green. Activists have highlighted two major sponsors of the summit. Limak Holding, an infrastructure giant, is expanding coal mines on ancient olive groves. Sinpaş GYO, a real estate developer, poured concrete inside a national park to build a luxury resort.

The Turkish Ministry of Climate did not respond to requests for comment. Özlem Katısöz, from the Turkey chapter of Climate Action Network Europe, offers a more optimistic view. She believes hosting the summit forces Turkey to confront its own domestic laws. Katısöz states that the country must improve its internal climate policies to have a credible voice in global discussions.

Katısöz sees the event as an opening for Turkish civil society to hold the government accountable. The parallel People's Climate Summit will run alongside the official U.N. sessions. These events aim to keep pressure on the delegations throughout the negotiations in Antalya.