By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Türkiye is seeking to
translate global climate commitments into concrete investments and measurable
outcomes ahead of COP31, with its presidency promoting the Climate
Implementation Bridge (BRIDGE) initiative to connect countries’ climate
priorities with existing financing mechanisms and private capital.
Halil Hasar, Türkiye’s
Director of Climate Change and COP31 Chief Climate Diplomacy Officer, outlined
the priorities during the “Investment Summit Towards COP31” in Istanbul, hosted
by the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Investment and Finance Office and
Ziraat Bank, and organised by the International Investors Association (YASED).
Hasar said the engagement
with international investors provided an opportunity to share the COP31
Presidency’s key priorities, highlight the importance of translating climate
commitments into concrete investments and discuss opportunities for green transformation
investments in Türkiye.
He said the central
objective of COP31 in Antalya was to accelerate the transition from commitments
to implementation, ensuring that decisions taken through climate negotiations
translate into tangible projects delivering measurable results on the ground.
In this context, Türkiye has
developed the Climate Implementation Bridge (BRIDGE) initiative, which Hasar
said was not a new fund but a mechanism designed to transform countries’
climate priorities and national plans into bankable project pipelines.
The initiative aims to
connect those projects with existing financing mechanisms and private capital,
helping bridge the gap between national climate plans and implementation.
“We firmly believe that
achieving our global climate goals requires strong partnerships among
governments, the private sector, and international financial institutions,”
Hasar said.
He added that Türkiye was
working to make COP31 “a COP of Implementation” where climate commitments
translate into concrete investments, meaningful action and lasting impact.
Hasar also thanked the
institutions involved in organising the summit and participants for their
contributions.
