Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, stated that Antalya is preparing for a very big and important meeting and said, "Hopefully, we will host our guests from all over the world here within the scope of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP31 between 9-20 November. We expect more than 100 thousand visitors. Heads of state and government, scientists, representatives of the business world, non-governmental organizations and young people will meet here. The world will meet in Antalya, the world will embrace in Antalya. Türkiye is on the climate issue." "We will have our say and share our understanding of development and environment together with the whole world," he said.
Stating that COP31 is a great opportunity for Antalya, Minister Kurum said, "Because the world's attention will be focused on Antalya. The name of Antalya will be heard more all over the world. Very important contributions will be made to the tourism, trade, tradesmen, transportation and international recognition of our city. There is a serious activity in our hotels. Every segment of Antalya's economy, from restaurants to taxi drivers, from tradesmen to tourism professionals, will benefit from this activity. Those who come here will benefit from this activity." "Every guest will see the beauty of Antalya, get to know the hospitality of Antalya, and tell about Antalya when they return to their country. Therefore, the winners here will not only be humanity and the world, Antalya will win, our tradesmen, our tourism professionals, our citizens will win, Türkiye will win," he said.
Stating that the 38-kilometer Belek Tourism Road is a step that Antalya has been waiting for for a long time, Minister Kurum said, "We have covered the 4 main arteries from top to bottom. We have carried out comprehensive works on the main artery road of over 21 kilometers. We widened our roads, built additional intersections, renewed the pavements and curbs. We were not satisfied with these; we completed the lighting systems, added environmental security elements, and made the necessary improvements on the roads and pavements. In Belek, there are 12 separate roads connecting our main arteries to the hotels." "We also discussed the connection road. We have carried out a total of 16 thousand meters of work on these routes. We have evaluated each road separately, according to its own conditions. We have made improvements wherever necessary, completed where necessary. COP31 will be over, everyone will return to their country, but these roads will remain here for my brother."
Explaining that they transformed the Expo 2016 area into a strong fair, congress and event infrastructure that will serve Antalya for many years after COP31, Minister Murat Kurum said, "We are planning our area in two main sections, the Blue Zone and the Green Zone. The Blue Zone will be the center where official negotiations will be held and international organizations will come together. The Green Zone will bring the climate summit together with the society. The business world will be here, the academy will be here, young people will be here, entrepreneurs will be here. Science, technology, art and culture will meet here. 100 "We are expecting nearly a thousand visitors. It is easy to say that Antalya will host tens of thousands of people here. Thank God, our work is progressing ahead of the planned schedule and we are working intensively with our 1510 personnel and 334 machines and equipment," he said.
Noting that the reconstruction experience in the earthquake zone and Zero Waste will be explained at COP 31, Minister Kurum said, "We have completed 455 thousand residences and workplaces in 2 years. We will explain this capacity to the world as a resilient city model. Our environmental project that goes beyond borders is Zero Waste. We will keep our project, under the auspices of esteemed First Lady Emine Erdoğan, and our Zero Waste culture alive in every detail of the COP area. We have also moved to a new phase in Zero Waste. With our Deposit Management System." "We are now collecting the bottles and recycling them into the economy. The number of packages we have collected so far has reached 200 million. Our Antalya ranks first in DOA use. We are in Antalya, which continues to be the first in our DOA application and strengthens it day by day, and I thank the people of Antalya for their sensitivity."
Pointing out that they cannot close their eyes to the environmental problems the world is facing while preparing for COP31, Minister Kurum said, "We will take steps to be a part of that solution as much as we can. Especially our seas, and we are carrying out this work with our Minister of Tourism in Antalya. Plastic pollution that threatens our seas is no longer an issue that can be postponed or ignored. You know, pollution knows no borders; today, unfortunately, plastic released into the sea from Africa can reach here. The Mediterranean is our common treasure. Our seas come from our ancestors. We will not allow anyone to pollute our seas, our coasts, our streams and our nature. We have received complaints from our Ministry of Tourism, especially from those tourism businesses. In this sense, we will do whatever is necessary to anyone who pollutes our seas and disturbs the peace of our citizens. And this year alone, we imposed very heavy sanctions of 219 million lira on 128 facilities. "We closed and sealed 21 facilities within this scope, because we have an understanding that does not only talk about the environment, but also works on the field for the environment," he said.
Explaining that they will take one of these concrete steps in Fethiye next week, Minister Kurum said, "This is also very valuable. Next week, with the honor of Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, we are starting bottom mud cleaning works in Fethiye, one of the paradise corners of our country, in order to protect the marine ecosystem and our coasts. We will clean our streams. We will clean our seas. We will protect our coasts. We will protect our natural beauties. These are entrusted to us by our children. What we say to the world at COP31 is also in our own country." We will fulfill its requirements. We will not be satisfied with our understanding of the environment. We will take action and make decisions. We will follow the results as quickly as we did all the Belek roads. Turkey is a great country. Turkey is a strong country, it is a country that sets goals and moves towards that goal with determination. "We will," he said.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that the world's biggest problems that actually threaten all humanity will be discussed at COP31 and that he hopes that it will be beneficial to the country and serve humanity and the world as a serious table of ideas, communication and solutions for the problems in its area of responsibility. Explaining that they have invested 19.2 billion lira in culture and tourism in Antalya in the last 24 years, Minister Ersoy said, "We provided 141 million TL support to 8 projects within the framework of the Support Project for Cultural Investments Made by the Public. The total current value of the infrastructure investments we made in Antalya between 2002 and 2026 and the support we provided to the tourism infrastructure investment projects of local governments is approximately 18.1 billion lira."
Noting that the wastewater treatment facilities built for the sustainability of tourism and preventing sea pollution make a serious difference, Minister Ersoy explained the investments in wastewater treatment facilities and related infrastructure facilities in Serik and Belek, Boğazkent, Kemer-Çamyuva regions. Explaining the sewerage line between Yukarı Kocayatak TOKİ-Çandır Market and the sewerage line between Serik Wastewater Treatment Plant and other investments, Minister Ersoy said, "This study also constitutes an important step of the preparation process for COP31."
Stating that they have brought 14 5-star quality free public beaches to Antalya, Minister Ersoy said, "We continue to offer our people the high level of quality and comfort they deserve by doing the best. Within the scope of Heritage to the Future, the most comprehensive project in our archeology history, we unearth the ancient cities of Antalya one by one, restore them and revive them in their most magnificent state. Then, we bring these unique areas to the tourism, culture and art life of our city with Night Museums and art events."
