SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:
What could bring thousands of diplomats, corporate executives and world leaders to a Mediterranean resort city? In this case, it's the U.N. climate summit, also known as COP31, which began today in Antalya, Turkey. The Turkish government is clearly happy for the prestige. As for Turkish environmentalists, NPR's Hadeel Al-Shalchi spoke with some of them.
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HADEEL AL-SHALCHI, BYLINE: A promotional video released by the Turkish Ministry of Climate shows images of mist in a forest, majestic mountains and the Turkish Minister of Climate speaking at a podium.
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AL-SHALCHI: "How much longer can we protect the air we breathe? This time, the answer is in Turkey," says the narrator. The country is hosting the U.N.'s annual climate summit this year, known as COP31. It's a time when nearly every country gathers to negotiate collective agreements on climate change. Turkey sees itself as an emerging worldwide power, using its culture, humanitarian causes and role as mediator to help bring an end to global conflicts from Ukraine to Iran. And now it wants to add climate leadership to its diplomatic portfolio, according to Ümit Şahin. He's the head of the climate change program at the Istanbul Policy Center, a Turkey-based think tank.
ÜMIT ŞAHIN: This is kind of a showcase for capabilities for being a serious middle power, a global player, etc. I think most important driver was about prestige and showcase.
AL-SHALCHI: Şahin says Turkey dragged its feet on climate agreements for decades, but then deadly wildfires at home about five years ago and European trade taxes forced a reality check. In 2021, Turkey ratified the Paris Agreement, a legally binding worldwide treaty to limit global warming. It also established a dedicated climate ministry. But Şahin says it hasn't been enough.
ŞAHIN: There are some action plans, strategies, a lot of paperwork, but not a real climate policy.
AL-SHALCHI: He points to Turkey's signature environmental project, the Zero Waste campaign, aimed at recycling or reusing all waste materials. Şahin says Turkey takes in more European plastic waste than any other nation. But instead of recycling it, it burns or dumps much of it.
ŞAHIN: If Turkey is real and sincere about Zero Waste, first thing, it needs to ban plastic waste import. And this Zero Waste thing is our No. 1 greenwashing.
AL-SHALCHI: Greenwashing - that's what environmental activists call claims to present an eco-friendly image while covering up destructive environmental practices. And those activists are organizing a parallel conference to COP to put pressure on the world leaders. Çiğdem Özbaş is a Turkish volunteer at this year's People's Climate Summit. She accuses the Turkish government of stripping local protections, favoring business interests over farmers and rural communities, and suppressing domestic dissent.
ÇIĞDEM ÖZBAŞ: There will be lots of lies about technological solutions. There will be lots greenwashing companies who are doing lots of ecological ecocide.
AL-SHALCHI: Activists point to COP31's sponsors - infrastructure giant Limak Holding, which is expanding coal mines on ancient olive groves, and real estate developer Sinpaş GYO - it poured concrete inside a national park to make a luxury resort. The Turkish Ministry of Climate did not respond to NPR's request for comment. But Özlem Katısöz is more hopeful. She's with the Turkey chapter of Climate Action Network Europe. She sees opportunity in Turkey hosting COP31, forcing it to face its own laws.
ÖZLEM KATISÖZ: Turkey should work to improve the overall climate - global climate policies, sort of move forward. It has to sort of improve its own domestic climate policies to have a credible say in the global discussions.
AL-SHALCHI: Katısöz says hosting COP this year creates an opening for Turkish civil society to hold the government accountable. Hadeel Al-Shalchi, NPR News, Antalya.
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