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Towards COP31

The Istanbul Policy Center (IPC) is implementing a year-long COP31 project aimed at supporting Türkiye's COP31 Presidency through knowledge production, policy dialogue, and stakeholder engagement. Launched in February 2026, the project brings together webinars, policy dialogues, podcast series, research outputs, and international partnerships to strengthen understanding of and engagement with COP31.
Climate Change Climate Change Information and Communication

Through this project, IPC contributes to informed and inclusive discussions on key COP31 themes, including climate diplomacy, energy transition, climate finance, just transition, and implementation, while fostering dialogue among national and international stakeholders.

The project runs from February 2026 to March 2027. For further information, please contact project coordinator Dijan Balkaroğlu.

News and Events
Etkinlik Serileri
May 5, 2026

COP31 Explained 3: From Santa Marta to Antalya: The Agenda for Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels

The third event in the COP31 Explained webinar series, organized as part of IPC's preparations for COP31, took place on May 5, featuring Ümit Şahin, IPC Climate Change Program Coordinator, Duygu Kutluay, and Mahir Ilgaz.

Events Series · COP31 Explained Webinar Series
Etkinlik Serileri
April 22, 2026

Paris-Antalya Podcast 1: COP31 and Education

The first episode of our podcast series, in which we bring together different perspectives in the run-up to COP31, featuring Burcu Meltem Arık as the guest speaker and Ümit Şahin as the moderator, was released on 21 April. 

Events Series · Paris-Antalya Podcast
April 16, 2026

COP31 Dialogues 1: Action Agenda (Clean Energy Transition)

The final panel of COP31 Dialogues 1: Action Agenda titled “Clean Energy Transition,” took place on April 16, 2026, in the Prof. Dr. Fuat Keyman Meeting Room at Istanbul Policy Center. The panel was moderated by Onur Akgül from IPC and brought together Çağlar Çeliköz from Ember, Duygu Erten from TURKECO Energy/Ankara University, and Hasan Aksoy from the SHURA Energy Transition Center.

Events Series · COP31 Dialogues
April 16, 2026

COP31 Dialogues 1: Action Agenda (Green Industrialization)

The final panel of the Action Agenda, titled “Green Industrialization,” took place on April 16, 2026, in the Prof. Dr. Fuat Keyman Meeting Room at Istanbul Policy Center. Moderated by Dursun Baş from IPC, the panel featured Özge Kepenek Bozkırlıoğlu from ESG Partner Consulting and Yael Taranto from the SHURA Energy Transition Center.

Events Series · COP31 Dialogues
April 16, 2026

COP31 Dialogues 1: Action Agenda (Zero Waste)

The first panel of “COP31 Dialogues 1: The Action Agenda,” titled “Zero Waste,” took place on April 16, 2026, in the Prof. Dr. Fuat Keyman Meeting Room at Istanbul Policy Center. Moderated by Akgün İlhan from IPC, the panel featured Mercator–IPC Fellow Sedat Gündoğdu and Selim Yıldırım from Daktilo 1984.

Events Series · COP31 Dialogues
April 16, 2026

COP31 Dialogues 1 - Action Agenda (The Importance of the Action Agenda, Priorities for COP31, and Civil Society’s Expectations)

The opening talks of “COP31 Dialogues 1: Action Agenda,” held on April 16, 2026, at the Prof. Dr. Fuat Keyman Meeting Room at IPC Karaköy, featured Ümit Şahin from Istanbul Policy Center (IPC) and Nuri Özbağdatlı from the UNDP Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, who addressed “The Importance of the Action Agenda and Priorities for COP31.” Emel Türker Alpay from Greenpeace Türkiye spoke on “Civil Society’s Expectations for the Action Agenda.”

Events Series · COP31 Dialogues
Project Implementers
Ümit Şahin

Ümit Şahin

Ümit Şahin is Senior Scholar and the Head of Climate Change Program at Istanbul Policy Center. 

umit.sahin@sabanciuniv.edu
dijan

Dijan Balkaroğlu

Dijan Balkaroğlu works as the “Towards COP31” Project Coordinator within the Climate Change Program at Istanbul Policy Center.

dijan.balkaroglu@sabanciuniv.edu