Over 1.5 Million Expected to Attend COP31 in Antalya, Turkey

The 31st United Nations Climate Summit, also known as COP31, is set to take place in Antalya, Turkey, from November 9 to 20. Over 1.5 million visitors are expected to attend the event, which is a significant increase from the usual number of visitors to the province in November. According to Murat Kurum, the Turkish Minister of Environment and Urbanism and president of COP31, this number triples the usual number of visitors to the province during the same period in previous years.

The summit has confirmed the participation of 85 heads of state or government, including Brazilian President Lula da Silva and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will host the leaders' summit on November 11 and 12. Notably, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the summit, with China sending its vice-president and the US announcing a congressional delegation instead.

The Portuguese delegation to COP31 will be led by Minister of Environment and Energy Maria da Graça Carvalho, as Prime Minister Luís Montenegro will not attend the leaders' summit. France, Germany, India, and Russia are also not listed as speakers for the leaders' summit, according to information released by the UN on October 21.

The summit will take place in a complex of buildings, gardens, and pavilions spanning one million square meters, featuring fields, orchards, and forests. The venue is divided into the 'blue zone' for official delegates and the 'green zone' for the general public, which will host four exhibitions featuring 120 Turkish and 70 foreign artists.

Antalya is a major tourist hub in Turkey, attracting 14 million visitors in 2025, with 13 million of them being foreigners. The province has over 2,700 hotels with a total capacity of 620,000 beds, stretching along 180 kilometers of coastline to the east of Antalya. The city itself is built on rocky cliffs surrounding a fishing harbor and features a historic center with Roman fortifications.

The summit has also inspired a song, 'Wake Up,' by Tarkan, a prominent Turkish pop star. The song's music video appeals for nature protection and animal welfare. COP31 is being co-led by Turkey and Australia, marking the first time two countries have jointly led the summit.

The mission of COP31 is to move from promises to action and focus on finding ways to reduce the gap between the rapid pace of global warming and the rhythm of international commitments to mitigate it. The summit will feature numerous parallel activities, workshops, and concerts showcasing the region's tourist attractions, history, gastronomy, and culture.

Key points

• Over 1.5 million visitors are expected to attend COP31 in Antalya, Turkey.
• The summit has confirmed the participation of 85 heads of state or government.
• The mission of COP31 is to move from promises to action and focus on reducing the gap between global warming and international commitments.