Next Steps in Industrial Decarbonization: Progress in Global Steel and Cement Initiatives
Organised by Istanbul Policy Center, worldsteel and the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), this official UNFCCC side event will take place on Thursday, 19 November 2026, from 13:15 to 14:45, in Side Event Room 8 – Bergama in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will assess progress in global initiatives to decarbonise the steel and cement sectors, exploring policies and opportunities for international cooperation to accelerate industrial transformation. Ümit Şahin from IPC will moderate the event. Speakers will include Hiroyuki Tezuka from worldsteel, Faustine Delasalle from the Mission Possible Partnership (MPP), Thomas Guillot from GCCA, Soyoung Oh from the Climate Policy Lab at Tufts University, Dursun Baş from IPC and Tuğba Dinçbaş from the Türkiye COP31 Presidency.
From Commitments to Implementation: Delivering a Just Energy Transition – Evidence from Türkiye, Brazil and Other Emerging Economies
Organised by Istanbul Policy Center, the event will take place on Thursday, 19 November, from 11:15 to 12:00 at the Türkiye Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone. Drawing on experiences from Türkiye, Brazil and other emerging economies, the discussion will explore the implementation of just energy transition policies and the challenges involved. Ümit Şahin from IPC will moderate the event, while Onur Akgül from IPC will participate as a speaker. Other speakers include Rosana Santos from Brazil, Bengisu Özenç from SEFiA, and Easwaran Narassimhan from the Climate Policy Lab at Tufts University.
Taking Stock of Climate Negotiations: Fossil Fuels, Just Transition and Emerging Priorities
Organised by Istanbul Policy Center, this press conference will take place on 18 November 2026, from 16:00 to 16:30, in Press Conference Room 2 – Yunus Emre in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will assess developments in the climate negotiations, focusing on fossil fuels, just transition and emerging priorities. Ümit Şahin from IPC will moderate the event, with Onur Akgül from IPC, representatives of Climate Network Türkiye and representatives of international climate NGOs participating.
The Next Phase of TAFF: From Roadmap to Implementation and Global Cooperation
Organised by Climate Analytics, this side event will take place on Wednesday, 18 November 2026, from 16:15 to 17:15, at the Regional Climate Foundations (RCF) Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will explore the next phase of transitioning away from fossil fuels, focusing on moving from roadmaps to implementation and strengthening global cooperation. Daisy Dune from Carbon Brief will moderate the event. Speakers will include Neil Grant from Climate Analytics, Valeria Zanini from ECCO Climate, Edlayan Passos from Instituto E+, Matthew Webb from E3G, Natalie Jones from IISD, Ümit Şahin from IPC and Kapwani Kavenuke from Power Shift Africa.
COP31 Reporters’ Dinner
The traditional reporters’ dinner, held during COP conferences, will take place on Sunday, 15 November, from 18:00 to 22:00 in Kaleiçi, Antalya. Organised by E3G and its partners, the event will bring together international journalists and climate policy experts. Istanbul Policy Center will contribute to the local organisation of the dinner in Antalya. Ümit Şahin and Akgün İlhan from IPC will also attend.
Türkiye–Europe Climate Bridge: Closed Meeting & Dinner
Organised by the Istanbul Policy Center–Sabancı University–Stiftung Mercator Initiative, the closed event will take place on Saturday, 14 November 2026 in Antalya. As part of the Türkiye–Europe Climate Bridge, which aims to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between climate policy institutions in Türkiye and Europe, a roundtable meeting will bring together network members from 15:30 to 18:00. The discussion will focus on shared priorities for COP31, joint messages and opportunities for continued cooperation after the conference. A closed networking dinner from 18:00 to 21:00 will then bring together Climate Bridge participants and members of the MercatorGlobe Community, providing an opportunity to build new connections and develop collaborations.
Just Energy Transition Pathways in the Western Balkans and Türkiye
Organised by the Istanbul Policy Center–Sabancı University–Stiftung Mercator Initiative and ZIP Institute, this high-level ministerial dialogue will take place on Thursday, 12 November 2026, from 18:00 to 20:00, in Special Event Room 4 – Perge in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will explore pathways towards a just energy transition in the Western Balkans and Türkiye. Agim Selami, Mercator–IPC Short-term Fellow, Chairman of MEF and Executive Director of ZIP Institute, will moderate the event. Participants will include Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, President of North Macedonia; Muamet Hoxha, Minister of Environment and Physical Planning of North Macedonia; Fitore Pacolli Dalipi, Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning of Kosovo; a representative of Türkiye’s Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change; and Genti Gazheli, Deputy Minister of Environment of Albania.
Geopolitics of Food: Redefining Security
Organised by Istanbul Policy Center, the Center for Climate and Security and the Council on Foreign Relations, this side event will take place on Thursday, 12 November 2026, from 14:00 to 15:00, at the Germany Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will explore the geopolitics of food and its implications for security. Michael Werz from the Council on Foreign Relations will moderate the event, with Erin Sikorsky from the Center for Climate and Security, Maximo Torero from FAO, Vera Songwe from LSE and Zafer Yenal from IPC participating as speakers.
What Should Effective Climate Policy for More Resilient Cities Look Like?
Held as part of the COP Town programme, this panel will take place on 12 November 2026 at 13:30 at the Türkan Şoray Cultural Center in Antalya. The discussion will explore how effective climate policies can strengthen cities’ resilience to climate change. Prof. Dr. Sedat Gündoğdu, 2025/26 Mercator–IPC Fellow, will moderate the event. Speakers will include Ercan Özbek, President of ANSİAD; Dr. Akgün İlhan from Istanbul Policy Center, Sabancı University; and Prof. Dr. Ezgi Orhan Muşta from Çankaya University.
Türkiye’s Plastics Landscape
Held as part of the COP Town programme, this panel will take place on 12 November 2026 at 11:45 at the Türkan Şoray Cultural Center in Antalya. The discussion will examine Türkiye’s current plastics landscape. Journalist Meral Tosun will moderate the event. Speakers will include Prof. Dr. Sedat Gündoğdu, 2025/26 Mercator–IPC Fellow; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhittin Onur Akça from Ankara University; and Ahmet Kırmızı, President of the Chamber of Environmental Engineers (ÇMO).
From Data to Action: Advancing Urban Climate Resilience through Nature-Based Solutions and Multilevel Cooperation
Organised by WWF-Türkiye, this side event will take place on 12 November 2026, from 10:30 to 11:30, at the GTF/UCLG Pavilion at COP31 in Antalya. The discussion will explore how nature-based solutions and multilevel cooperation can strengthen urban climate resilience. Tanyeli Behiç Sabuncu, Senior Climate and Energy Consultant at WWF-Türkiye, will moderate the event. Speakers will include Dr. Akgün İlhan, Project Coordinator and Researcher at Istanbul Policy Center, Sabancı University; Charlotte G. Brynielsson, Head of Multi-level Coordination & Climate City Contract 2030 at Viable Cities, Sweden; Reşit Serhat Taşkınsu, Secretary General of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality; Nicolás Azócar, International Affairs Advisor at the Municipality of Renca, Chile; and Jon Andersson, Director for Environment at the City of Lund, Sweden.
The Implementation Gap: Climate Finance, Access, and Asia’s Energy Transition
Organised by Istanbul Policy Center, Change Initiative and Renewables First, this side event will take place on Friday, 13 November 2026, from 17:30 to 18:30, at the Regional Climate Foundations (RCF) Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will examine the implementation gap in Asia’s energy transition, focusing on climate finance and access to funding. M. Zakir Hossain Khan from Change Initiative will moderate the event, with Ümit Şahin from IPC, Hamza Ali Haroon from CVF-V20, Muhammad Basit Ghauri from Renewables First and Iliana Stefanova from IRENA participating as speakers.