Türkiye has rich biodiversity, we look forward to deep collaboration at COP31: UNEP official

The UN Environment Program (UNEP) is eager to establish deep cooperation with Türkiye, which will host next year's climate change conference, said Inger Andersen, executive director of the agency.

Speaking to Anadolu on the sidelines of the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in Nairobi, Andersen assessed global climate achievements and Türkiye's upcoming COP presidency.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the 2015 Paris Agreement, Andersen said: "We haven't achieved everything we would have wanted by any means, but we have made some progress, and next year in beautiful Türkiye we will make further progress."

She reaffirmed that the Paris Agreement is working, pointing to the COP30 decision taken in November in Belem, Brazil, to triple annual adaptation finance flows to $1.3 trillion by 2035.

Although COP30 did not produce a fossil fuel phase-out roadmap, Andersen said momentum has been building since countries agreed in Glasgow (2021) to phase down unabated coal power, and in Dubai (2023) to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems.

She expressed confidence that Türkiye and Australia will work with Brazil to deliver the fossil fuel phase-out roadmap originally proposed by the latter, adding that around 80 countries have already signaled support. "There is still some work to be done," she said. "Rome wasn't built in a day."

COLLABORATION WITH TÜRKİYE AHEAD OF COP31

Andersen voiced strong enthusiasm for cooperation with Türkiye, saying: "UNEP will very much look forward to deep collaboration with Türkiye, which will chair COP31."

Describing Türkiye as "a powerful country in a magnificent location" and "a real bridge between east, west, north and south," she praised its diverse ecosystems "ranging from deserts to mountains to oceans" and its rich biodiversity.

"Türkiye has a lot of renewable energy from hydropower, but it also has magnificent wind velocity and therefore a lot of opportunity for wind," she added.

Andersen also commended first lady Emine Erdoğan's global leadership on zero waste, noting that the UN General Assembly adopted the Turkish-initiated resolution in December 2022 and proclaimed March 30 every year as International Day of Zero Waste.

Türkiye, she said, is on a development path that continues to integrate social considerations alongside economic growth.

ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT OF AI

Andersen said the environmental impact of AI was among the key topics discussed at UNEA-7.

"What about the environmental footprint of AI, and how can we minimize that while we maximize the environmental goods that AI can deliver in terms of efficiency and effectiveness for environmental protection?" she asked.

"AI for good can be a massive solution provider, but we need to think about the circular economy for the metals and rare earths required for this technology, and we need to be very mindful about the energy sources powering it," Andersen said.