Towards COP31
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.
Energy Crises, Electrification and the Path to a Just Energy Transition: Lessons from Climate Transparency
Organised by the Climate Transparency Initiative (CTI), the event will take place on Wednesday, 11 November, from 13:45 to 14:45 at the Regional Climate Foundations (RCF) Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will explore energy crises, electrification and just energy transitions, drawing on experiences from different countries. Ümit Şahin from IPC will participate as a speaker.
Powering Green Industry: Delivering 35 by 35 through Clean Electricity, Industrial Decarbonization and Global Cooperation
The side event on the steel sector, organised by the Climate Change Foundation, IRENA and UNIDO, will take place on Tuesday, 10 November, from 12:30 to 13:30 at the Korea Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone. Dursun Baş from IPC will participate as a speaker.
COP31 Insights 3: Setting the Scene for Mediterranean Agenda for COP31
The third event in the webinar series “COP31 Insights,” organized as part of IPC’s preparations for COP31, took place on October 26, featuring Gabriele Cassetti, Hanne Knaepen, Yara Saab, and Bengisu Özenç.
The Future of International Climate Governance: How Can COP31 Respond to the Climate and Energy Security Crises?
Jointly organised by TEPAV and Istanbul Policy Center, the event took place at TEPAV on 26 October 2026. Moderated by Mühdan Sağlam and featuring Jennifer Morgan and Ümit Şahin, the discussion explored the future of international climate governance and how COP31 could respond to the climate and energy security crises.
Final Preparations for COP31: Towards Antalya
Organised by Istanbul Policy Center on 23 October 2026, the event “Pre-COP: Final Discussions Before Antalya” explored key issues on the climate diplomacy agenda ahead of COP31 and expectations for Antalya. The morning sessions, held in English, focused on climate and energy security, geopolitical uncertainties, multilateralism and climate finance. The afternoon sessions, held in Turkish, examined priorities and challenges in the COP31 negotiations, as well as expectations for Antalya.
Ümit Şahin
Ümit Şahin is Senior Scholar and the Head of Climate Change Program at Istanbul Policy Center.
umit.sahin@sabanciuniv.edu
Dijan Balkaroğlu
Dijan Balkaroğlu works as the “Towards COP31” Project Coordinator within the Climate Change Program at Istanbul Policy Center.
dijan.balkaroglu@sabanciuniv.edu