ISTANBUL

Türkiye is ready to host the next UN climate change conference, COP31, next November, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday, addressing leaders at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Türkiye is set to organize next year’s COP31 climate summit in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya, after Australia dropped its bid to host the annual event.

Highlighting Türkiye’s energy goals, Erdogan said the country aims to quadruple its solar and wind energy capacity by 2035, and the share of renewables in Türkiye’s energy mix has already risen above 60% this year.

On Gaza, Erdogan stressed that the ceasefire, which was reached last month, is crucial for global stability.

“According to UN data, the destruction caused by Israel has pushed Palestine’s development efforts back by 70 years,” he said.

Erdogan added that Türkiye remains committed to supporting a lasting truce and contributing to the Palestinian enclave's reconstruction. “We are determined and ready to stand with the Palestinian people, as we always have,” he said.

Johannesburg is hosting the two-day leaders' summit aimed at discussing some of the world’s most pressing challenges.