Erdogan Accuses Gaza of Ecocide as Cop31 Opens in Turkey
The Turkish president linked the region's environmental collapse to the global climate emergency, while UN chief Guterres warned the crisis is outrunning global response.
By Meera Fletcher ·
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the Cop31 climate conference in Antalya on Wednesday by declaring the Gaza Strip an ecocide. He described the Palestinian territory as facing both genocide and environmental destruction. Erdogan stated that the region has endured a severe onslaught since October 2023. This period of conflict has caused extensive damage to the local environment.
The president detailed specific physical impacts on Gaza. He said centuries-old olive trees were cut down. Soil and water sources became contaminated during the conflict. Cities were reduced to massive piles of rubble. Recent heavy rainfall worsened the humanitarian situation. Floodwaters submerged tens of thousands of tents and shelters.
Erdogan described the winter conditions for residents. Hundreds of thousands of people, including many children without parents, are struggling in floodwaters. He called for an immediate end to the isolation of Gaza. The Turkish leader urged the swift entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave.
Shifting to global issues, Erdogan characterized climate change as a deep existential crisis. He used the metaphor of a shared home to describe the planet's fragility. He stated that humanity has one sky for a roof and one Earth for a garden. Erdogan argued that excessive consumption and greed drive this crisis. He urged leaders to leave a cleaner, greener, and fairer world for future generations.
The financial responsibility of developed nations became a central theme of the speech. Erdogan argued that agreement on necessary actions is not matched by sufficient funding. He called on wealthier countries to take a greater share of the financial burden. This step is needed to tackle the crisis effectively.
Outgoing United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres addressed the summit later in the session. He warned that the slow international response has placed the world on a path toward destruction. Guterres stated that the climate crisis is outrunning global efforts. He cited rising emissions and worsening disasters as evidence. He emphasized that science demands a harder fight and that fossil fuels must eventually disappear.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva also spoke during the session. He observed that momentum for Cop31 had waned earlier in the year. Climate issues disappeared from global discourse in favor of discussions about weapons and tariffs. Da Silva warned against leaving the planet to the mercy of hegemonic struggles. He called for renewed international solidarity.
Erdogan echoed these sentiments by noting how wars and poverty increase the need for cooperation. A recent United Nations report indicated the world is on track to exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit. This limit was agreed upon in the Paris Agreement. This year has already seen extreme heatwaves in Western Europe. A catastrophic glacier collapse in Nepal killed more than 1,450 people.
The summit runs from November 9 to November 20 on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. It brings together 196 countries and the European Union. Negotiators are working toward an agreement to increase the share of electricity in global energy use. They are also working to restart stalled efforts to transition away from fossil fuels. The United States is absent from the talks for the second consecutive year. President Donald Trump withdrew the country from climate cooperation in 2025.
