Antalya Action Plan was launched under the leadership of Türkiye to combat forest fires

Yumaklı spoke at the Leaders' Summit Forest Event within the scope of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) hosted by Türkiye in Antalya.

Yumaklı stated that forests remove carbon from the atmosphere, protect water resources and soil, provide habitat for biodiversity and create a livelihood for rural communities, and added, "If there is no action on forests regarding climate, there is no solution." he said.

Yumaklı said, "Forests are our most powerful nature-based solutions in both climate control and climate adaptation." he said.

Yumaklı said that at the COP26 held in Glasgow in 2021, a common commitment was made to stop and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 and that Türkiye was among the signatories of this declaration and continued as follows:

"The picture has changed in the past 5 years. Temperatures are rising, drought is deepening, forest fires are becoming more frequent, more severe and more destructive. Unfortunately, a significant part of the global tree cover loss occurs from residue fires. The climate crisis increasingly threatens the forests that are part of the solution. Therefore, our goal remains valid, but we need more scale, urgency and international cooperation to achieve it."

Pointing out that a comprehensive mobilization has been carried out in forestry in the last quarter century, Minister Yumaklı said, "Under the leadership of our President, with the work of our General Directorate of Forestry, we planted 8.3 billion saplings in the years 2002-2025. According to FAO's 2025 Global Forest Resources Assessment, Turkey ranked first in Europe and third in the world in afforestation in the 2020-2025 period." gave the information.

Stating that the issue for Turkey is not just planting trees, Yumaklı said, "We carry out afforestation with the understanding of ecosystem restoration along with improving degraded forests and combating erosion. We protect the fertility of the soil, the water retention capacity of the basins and biodiversity with species suitable for the region, and increase the resilience of our forests against drought and changing climate." he said.

Yumaklı underlined that the most urgent application gap today has emerged in the fight against forest fires, and said that the Mediterranean basin is one of the regions where this risk is felt most intensely.

Stating that the fire prevention, early detection and rapid response capacity in Türkiye is constantly being improved, Yumaklı said, "We reforest the fire-affected areas in accordance with their ecological characteristics. Fires know no boundaries. The solution must be shared." made his assessment.

Minister Yumaklı stated that they presented a new plan at COP31 with the momentum taken from the "Integrated Fire Management Action Call" put forward together with Brazil.

Stating that the aim is to strengthen international cooperation and take concrete steps in fire management, Yumaklı said:

"We are proud to launch the Integrated Fire Management Antalya Action Plan, under the leadership of Türkiye, in cooperation with Brazil, the Republic of (South) Korea and FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and the Forest and Climate Leaders Partnership. This plan aims to transform global commitments into practical cooperation, common knowledge and concrete action on the field. Turkey is ready to share its knowledge in this field with all its partners within the framework of the Antalya Action Plan."

Yumaklı invited all countries and partners to participate in the Antalya Action Plan and said, "Participation is voluntary. We aim to work in line with national priorities and international frameworks, by sharing effective practices and strengthening resilience against forest fires together. We need your support to take the first steps of the plan. Likewise, we attach importance to the implementation of the Forest Road Map put forward by Brazil at COP30." he said.

Pointing out that Türkiye prioritizes strengthening the carbon sink function of forests in line with the 2053 net zero emission target, Yumaklı said, "Our existing forests form the basis of this effort with the carbon they have accumulated over the years and the carbon they sequester every year. Therefore, protecting forests against fire, destruction and degradation is one of the priorities of our climate policy." he said.

Yumaklı also stated that the General Directorate of Forestry has established new carbon sink forests and that carbon retention capacity has been increased by considering biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.

Stating that saplings were planted in 81 provinces on November 11, National Afforestation Day, Yumaklı said, "We created a Peace Forest in Antalya in memory of COP. This is not a coincidence but a message; achieving global climate goals is only possible with the contribution of all segments of society on the field." he said.

Minister Yumaklı emphasized that there is a need to accelerate in 3 areas for the 2030 target and said:

"First, financing and technology. We must strengthen long-term and accessible financing for the protection of forests and restoration of ecosystems, and facilitate countries' access to finance and technology. Second, sharing knowledge and experience. We must deepen scientific cooperation and field experience sharing between countries. Third, people. We cannot sustainably protect forests without supporting the livelihoods of forest villagers and local communities. We need to continue this support determinedly."

Stating that there is the knowledge, experience and will to cooperate to turn the promise made in Glasgow into practice, Yumaklı said, "The Antalya Action Plan is a concrete expression of this will. I hope that COP31 will be a real implementation COP, beyond being a summit of commitments for forests, and I thank you in advance for your support and approval of the Antalya Action Plan. As Turkey, we are ready to share our forestry experience, develop new partnerships and work together for the future of forests." he said.