Our special correspondent in Antalya, Filippos Polo
The Turkish delegation removed its interpretation headphones while President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides addressed the COP31 plenary in Antalya on Wednesday. The Azerbaijani delegation was also in the hall during the speech, which began shortly after 16:00 Cyprus time.
In his address, the President said the climate crisis requires political leadership, collective responsibility and, above all, meaningful decisions. He stressed that international efforts so far are not enough to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Call for faster action by 2030
Mr Christodoulides said action is needed to:
- speed up emissions reductions
- advance the transition away from fossil fuels
- triple renewable energy capacity by 2030
- double improvements in energy efficiency by 2030
He also stressed the need for investment, adequate climate finance and a just energy transition.
Climate impacts on Cyprus
Referring to the effects of climate change on Cyprus, the President said that water scarcity, extreme temperatures, desertification and severe fires are already part of daily life for an island state in the Eastern Mediterranean. For this reason, he said, adaptation and resilience are immediate national priorities.
He also referred to Cyprus’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of the year. He said particular emphasis was placed on advancing the implementation of the EU’s shared climate commitments, an effort Nicosia intends to continue.
Emphasis on regional cooperation
Regional cooperation featured prominently in the speech. The President said that climate change transcends political boundaries and recognises no borders. He added that tackling it could be an important opportunity to deepen cooperation across the wider Middle East and the Gulf, particularly in water management, renewable energy and civil protection.
In this context, he presented the Republic of Cyprus’s Initiative on Climate Change in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. The initiative involves ten countries in the region, their governments and more than 200 scientific experts. It aims to strengthen collective capacity for adaptation, mitigation and resilience through practical cross-border action and regional early warning systems.
Regional aerial firefighting station
As a further concrete example of regional cooperation, the President referred to the Regional Aerial Firefighting Station in Cyprus. The station was set up earlier this year as a joint initiative with Jordan, with the support of the European Commission.
He explained that the station links European civil protection resources with the capabilities of the wider region. It hosts specialised firefighting crews in Cyprus and strengthens the capacity for rapid response to major fires across the region.
“Our response must know no divisions”
Closing his address, Mr Christodoulides said the success of COP31 should be judged by how effective action proves to be in practice. He called on participants to make Antalya a turning point, moving from ambition to implementation and from shared challenges to shared opportunities.
“The climate crisis knows no borders. Our response must know no divisions,” was the President’s closing message. He called on the international community to act collectively to secure a safer future for all.
