Politics
SETA experts warn against militarizing climate security at COP31
A panel organized by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) at the COP31 climate summit in Antalya examined how climate change is reshaping global security, questioning whose interests are protected when environmental threats become a security priority.
The panel, titled “Whose Climate Security? Order, Nature, People and Publics,” brought together academics and policy experts to examine the climate crisis through the perspectives of international order, ecological protection and public opinion.
Held in the COP31 Blue Zone, the discussion explored the consequences of the United States’ withdrawal from international climate frameworks, the need to place nature at the center of security policies and growing awareness of climate risks in Türkiye.
Moderated by Prof. Murat Yeşiltaş, director of SETA’s Foreign Policy Research Department, the panel featured associate professors Ceren Uysal Oğuz, Senem Atvur and Başar Baysal. The speakers questioned whose security takes priority when climate change is treated as a security issue and whether existing approaches adequately protect vulnerable communities and ecosystems.
U.S. withdrawal effects
Opening the discussion, Oğuz examined the implications of the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is scheduled to take effect in February 2027.
She recalled that a presidential memorandum issued in January 2026 initiated the U.S. withdrawal from 66 international organizations and agreements, including the UNFCCC and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Oğuz said the decisions had created gaps in scientific assessments, climate financing and cooperation on energy and technology. The United States had previously contributed more than 20% of the UNFCCC budget, but that funding was no longer being provided, she said.
China, meanwhile, had increased its share of the new budget to 20%, highlighting a potential shift in the distribution of influence within international climate institutions.
Oğuz identified the European Union’s regulatory influence, China’s dominance in clean energy supply chains and the growing role of middle powers such as Türkiye, Brazil and Mexico as important factors in addressing the resulting gaps.
She argued that coalitions of countries willing to advance climate action could help sustain international cooperation, stressing that such partnerships would complement rather than replace the existing multilateral climate framework.
Ecological security
Atvur challenged conventional approaches to climate security, arguing that nature is frequently treated either as an economic resource to be exploited or as a threat to human survival rather than something deserving protection in its own right.
She presented ecological security as an alternative, describing the planet as a single living system in which humans are part of nature rather than separate from it.
Atvur said the consequences of climate change fall disproportionately on communities in the Global South, future generations and nonhuman species, making the crisis fundamentally an issue of justice as well as environmental protection.
She cited Bolivia, Ecuador, New Zealand and Spain as examples of countries that have introduced legal arrangements recognizing rights or legal personhood for elements of nature.
Atvur called for binding international rules and stronger legal protections for future generations and other species, arguing that nature itself should become a central reference point in security policies.
Survey finds 96% of Turks consider climate change a major problem
Baysal presented findings from a recently published study examining public perceptions of climate security in Türkiye, highlighting widespread concern about the effects of global warming.
According to the research, 96% of the Turkish public considers climate change a major problem, while only 1.2% identify as climate skeptics. The survey also found that 43% of respondents believed they had personally suffered harm from a climate-related event.
Baysal said 65% of respondents viewed climate change as a security issue, with water security emerging as one of their primary concerns.
The research also examined political attitudes toward the crisis. Of 20 lawmakers interviewed, 19 considered climate change both an important problem and a national security concern.
Baysal said the findings indicated considerable public and political support for addressing climate change through what he described as “just securitization,” an approach that recognizes environmental threats without overlooking the needs and rights of those most exposed to them.
Militarizing climate security
During the question-and-answer session, panelists considered whether climate change could trigger major conflicts in the future and examined the risks of framing environmental challenges primarily through military and state security.
They acknowledged that linking climate change to conflict could help draw attention to the urgency of the crisis. However, they warned that an approach centered on military responses and national security could deepen existing problems rather than address their underlying causes.
The speakers emphasized that climate change should be understood primarily as a threat multiplier rather than a direct cause of conflict, as environmental pressures can intensify existing political, economic and social tensions.
They argued that climate justice must remain central to climate security discussions, particularly by ensuring that vulnerable communities have a voice in decisions affecting their livelihoods and future.
The panel was organized under SETA’s Climate Change and Environment Program. Yeşiltaş said the program had published numerous policy analyses on climate change over the past year and would continue examining its implications for Turkish politics and regional security.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with his Bolivian counterpart, Rodrigo Paz Pereira, in Istanbul on Saturday as Türkiye and Bolivia explored opportunities to strengthen bilateral relations, expand trade and attract investment.
Erdoğan welcomed Paz Pereira with an official ceremony at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Office, where the two leaders introduced their respective delegations before holding a private meeting followed by broader talks involving both sides’ officials.
The discussions were closed to the press. Türkiye was represented by National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran and Presidency of Defense Industries President Haluk Görgün, highlighting the importance of defense and industrial cooperation in the bilateral agenda.
The meeting marked a major diplomatic engagement during Paz Pereira’s multi-day official visit to Türkiye, which included participation in the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, business meetings and visits to major Turkish defense companies.
The Bolivian leader’s visit also featured engagements in Ankara focused on trade and investment, as well as tours of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) and defense company ASELSAN.
He also held meetings with other international leaders attending COP31, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The Istanbul meeting with Erdoğan coincided with broader efforts to establish stronger political and commercial ties between the two countries.
Trade and investment opportunities
Expanding economic cooperation is a central priority for both governments, with particular interest in increasing bilateral trade, attracting investment and diversifying commercial partnerships.
Trade between Türkiye and Bolivia reached approximately $820 million in 2025, with both sides seeking to raise the figure above $1 billion and broaden the range of goods and services exchanged.
Key areas of potential cooperation include energy, mining, infrastructure, agriculture, agricultural technology, tourism, manufacturing and defense industries.
Bolivia’s substantial reserves of lithium and other mineral resources offer opportunities for Turkish companies seeking to expand their presence in the country’s mining and energy sectors.
Ankara, meanwhile, could offer expertise in industrial development, infrastructure and technology, alongside access to wider international markets.
Paz Pereira has identified Türkiye as a potential strategic partner for Bolivia, particularly in expanding commercial connections with Europe and Asia.
The two countries are also seeking to create stronger conditions for private-sector investment and business partnerships.
The Bolivian delegation’s visits to Turkish defense companies further highlighted interest in developing cooperation in military technology, modernization and possible procurement.
The participation of Güler and Görgün in the Erdoğan-Paz meeting reflected the prominence of defense-related issues in the countries’ engagement.
Bolivia seeks broader international partnerships
Paz Pereira’s visit comes as his government seeks to attract foreign investment, stabilize the economy and diversify Bolivia’s international partnerships.
He became Bolivia’s president on Nov. 8, 2025, following an election victory that ended nearly two decades of political dominance by the left-wing Movement for Socialism (MAS).
The son of former President Jaime Paz Zamora, Paz has promoted an economic agenda centered on private-sector investment, institutional reform and what he describes as “capitalism for all.”
His administration has emphasized the need to strengthen investor confidence, improve the legal framework governing investment and reform legislation covering mining and hydrocarbons.
Closer engagement with Türkiye could support those objectives by providing access to new sources of investment, industrial expertise and international markets.
Climate cooperation adds another dimension
Climate and sustainable development also featured in Bolivia’s broader engagement during COP31, which Türkiye is hosting in Antalya from Nov. 9 to 20.
Paz Pereira has used the international gathering to promote Bolivia’s forests, freshwater resources and biodiversity as potential foundations for sustainable economic development and investment.
His government has also expressed interest in green financing and international technical partnerships, including mechanisms that could generate revenue through the conservation of standing forests.
During the Antalya segment of his visit, Bolivia announced an initial green financing package with Germany’s development bank KfW, reflecting its efforts to secure international support for environmentally sustainable development.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for turning global climate commitments into concrete results as the COP31 Leaders’ Summit concluded in Antalya, highlighting growing support for a major electrification initiative and stronger climate financing for vulnerable nations.
In a statement following the summit, Erdoğan said the gathering had demonstrated renewed political commitment to tackling climate change despite mounting international challenges, with world leaders finding common ground on practical solutions.
“As the Paris Agreement enters its second decade, our exchanges have reaffirmed that addressing climate change is both a scientific necessity and a moral imperative,” Erdoğan said.
He stressed that the responsibility to act extended beyond present generations to communities already suffering the consequences of climate change and those who would inherit its long-term effects.
Erdoğan welcomed the participation of heads of state and government, international organizations, multilateral development banks and other partners, saying their engagement had strengthened momentum for international climate cooperation.
Despite differences in national priorities and economic circumstances, he said discussions had revealed considerable room for agreement on shared climate goals.
From commitments to implementation
Highlighting Türkiye’s ambition to make COP31 a summit focused on implementation, Erdoğan welcomed growing support for the 35-by-35 Global Electrification Pledge, an initiative aimed at accelerating electrification.
Several countries have already joined the pledge, he said, describing expanded electrification as an opportunity to strengthen energy security while supporting economic development.
“COP31 has been conceived as a COP of implementation,” Erdoğan said.
The president emphasized that translating climate commitments into measurable progress would require closer coordination among governments, financial institutions and private-sector partners.
He also pointed to the COP31 Action Agenda, which prioritizes electrification, green industrialization, resilience, zero waste and climate finance.
The initiative seeks to move international climate cooperation beyond political declarations by encouraging practical solutions tailored to countries’ development needs.
Climate finance, vulnerable nations in focus
Erdoğan also underscored the need to improve access to climate financing, particularly for countries and communities most exposed to environmental risks.
He highlighted growing support for the Climate Implementation Bridge, an initiative designed to connect existing international commitments with practical action through cooperation among governments, development banks and other partners.
The initiative places particular emphasis on adaptation, resilience and sustainable development, with financing directed toward nationally determined priorities.
Referring to recent natural disasters and their devastating consequences, Erdoğan expressed solidarity with affected communities and called for stronger early warning systems and protection for vulnerable populations.
He stressed that adaptation and resilience must advance alongside efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The summit also brought attention to the development priorities of Africa, the Pacific and other regions, highlighting the need for climate policies that account for differing national circumstances.
Türkiye-Australia partnership highlights cooperation
Erdoğan praised cooperation between Türkiye and Australia in the COP31 process, describing the partnership as an example of how countries with different geographical and economic circumstances could work together on shared global challenges.
He also thanked Pacific Island countries for their engagement, particularly Tuvalu and Fiji for their roles as Pre-COP hosts.
“The partnership between Türkiye and Australia is itself an expression of confidence in multilateralism,” he said.
The president emphasized that governments alone could not deliver the scale of transformation required, calling for sustained participation from businesses, financial institutions, local authorities and civil society.
As negotiations continued, Erdoğan urged participating countries to maintain the cooperative spirit demonstrated at the Leaders’ Summit and accelerate efforts to implement the Paris Agreement.
He concluded by calling for continued international cooperation to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) within reach.
Israel’s genocidal actions against Palestinians in Gaza made it into President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s speech at the COP31 summit in Türkiye’s Antalya on Wednesday.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry was quick to respond, claiming Erdoğan pushed an anti-Israeli campaign of lies.
In return, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Israel was trying to cover up their violations and evade accountability.
“The Israeli Foreign Ministry’s despicable and outrageous slanders against our president represent yet another example of Israeli officials’ futile efforts to conceal the truth,” the ministry said Wednesday.
Ömer Çelik, deputy chair and spokesperson of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), echoed the statement on Thursday. Çelik said in a social media post that “members of the genocide network” had no right to target President Erdoğan and they would “fail anyway to hide their crimes against humanity.”
He stated that Erdoğan said what should be said again, in the name of humanity’s conscience, justice and laws, against Israel’s oppression. “We will never take a step back from standing with people of Palestine and for truth,” Çelik said.
Burhanettin Duran, head of the Directorate of Communications of the Turkish Presidency, also said in a social media post on Thursday that Israel resorted to insults and propaganda instead of paying the price for genocide and the ecological disaster it inflicted on Gaza and this was “just another display of the political and moral quagmire it is in.”
On Wednesday, Erdoğan slammed Israel, something he frequently does in his speeches at international events, accusing it of “genocide and ecocide.”
“Centuries-old olive trees were destroyed, soil was polluted, water was polluted, cities were turned into giant masses of rubble,” he said in his speech at the leaders’ summit of COP31 as he was speaking about the toll armed conflicts inflicted on both humanity and nature.
Erdoğan has also lamented that Israel has not allowed delivery of prefabricated housing units to Gaza, noting that, “Our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Gaza are condemned to live in tents unfortunately, amid mud everywhere.”
“Aren’t they human beings? Don’t they deserve to have at least a tent? We have been hearing heart-wrenching news from Gaza for the past few days. Heavy rainfall and floods, combined with the lack of infrastructure destroyed (by Israel) in Gaza, left tens of thousands of tents and shelters inundated. Hundreds of thousands of Gazan brothers and sisters with no roof above them, especially innocent children trembling with cold, most of them without parents, fight for their lives with water everywhere and in wintry conditions,” Erdoğan stated. Erdoğan added that no one can escape from taking responsibility in the face of such a shame for humanity.
The president said Israel sought “a show of force” over the drama the Gazan children faced and called for immediate admission of humanitarian aid.
In recent days, heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding destroyed many of the tents and makeshift shelters that Palestinian residents now live in. At least four people were killed earlier this week when a sand embankment collapsed on their shelter. The rain also left many displaced people without food, drinking water or a dry place to sleep.
Humanitarian aid enters the territory, but imports remain far below levels before the start of the new round of conflict in 2023, and many items remain blocked by Israel.
A 2025 report by the U.N. Environment Programme also outlined the devastating reality of Gaza’s environment since the war began. Remote sensing assessments showed that by May 2025, more than 97% of the tree crops, 82% of annual crops, 95% of shrubland and 89% of grass and fallow land had been damaged, according to the UNEP report.
“As of now, our families only have 3% of cropland to use, and that is assuming it’s distributed across 2 million Palestinians” in the Gaza Strip, said Mohammed Usrof, co-founder and executive director of the Palestinian Institute for Climate Strategy. “Not talking about these losses undermines Palestinians’ food supply, livelihoods and ability to remain on their land,” Usrof said.
The territory’s ability to dispose of garbage, treat sewage and deliver clean water has been virtually decimated by three years of war. This has made grim living conditions worse and raised health risks for hundreds of thousands of people deprived of adequate shelter, food and medicine, aid groups say.
The conflict has “all but eliminated” Gazan fishing livelihoods, the report said, highlighting how marine ecosystems have been contaminated with munitions, sewage and solid waste.
“For people in Gaza, this translates into severely limited access to safe drinking water, greater exposure to waterborne diseases and toxic substances, deepening food insecurity and the loss of livelihoods dependent on agriculture and fishing,” Ghiwa Nakat, executive director at Greenpeace MENA, told The Associated Press.
Nakat also warned that Gaza’s environment could take years to recover.
“The environmental damage will not end when the war ends,” Nakat said. “Contaminated soil and groundwater, destroyed ecosystems and the collapse of essential environmental infrastructure could undermine public health, food security and livelihoods for generations, threatening communities’ resilience and their ability to recover.”
The Ministry of National Defense denied claims that Türkiye would deploy 15,000 soldiers to Somalia while affirming cooperation with the African country. Some Turkish and Somali media outlets have claimed that Mogadishu sought assistance from other countries, including Türkiye, to improve security and even included armed groups from Syria who helped oust the Baathist regime.
Brig. Adm. Zeki Aktürk, the ministry’s spokesperson, told a news briefing on Thursday that Türkiye already had a Somalia-Türkiye Task Force and an air force unit stationed in the Horn of Africa country and was helping Somalia to enhance its counterterrorism capacity through military assistance, training and consultancy services. Aktürk rejected the claims of dispatching 15,000 troops to the country.
Türkiye’s military training mission in Somalia, known as TURKSOM, has been a crucial element in the country’s counterterrorism operations, providing extensive military training and logistical support to Somali security forces in their fight against terrorist groups such as al-Shabab and Daesh.
Earlier this week, Türkiye and Somalia discussed current military and security developments in Somalia as troop-contributing countries to the African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission begin withdrawing their forces from the country. Both sides also discussed counterterrorism efforts and security cooperation between Türkiye and Somalia. The discussions came after Turkish Ambassador to Somalia Ferhat Alkan met Somalia’s National Security Adviser Awes Hagi Yusuf Ahmed in the capital, Mogadishu.
“Türkiye continues to contribute to the peace, stability and security of Somalia, as it has in the past,” the Turkish Embassy said in a statement following the meeting on Tuesday.
According to the Office of the National Security Adviser, both sides also focused on political issues, the fight against al-Shabab and bilateral cooperation. “The NSA expressed Somalia’s appreciation for Türkiye’s longstanding friendship & support, and reaffirmed the importance of continued coordination for Somalia’s stability,” it said in a statement.
Four soldiers were killed after a Turkish military S-70 helicopter crashed in the eastern province of Malatya on Thursday.
“Four of our fellow soldiers were killed when our S-70 helicopter crashed in Malatya for reasons yet to be determined,” the Defense Ministry said.
The ministry extended condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and prayed for God’s mercy upon them.
The helicopter went down in the Samanköy neighborhood of Malatya’s Yeşilyurt district, where a fire broke out at the crash site and spread to a nearby house, according to initial reports.
Emergency crews were dispatched to the area and extinguished the flames.
The Defense Ministry confirmed the crash in a statement, saying the cause remained unknown and search-and-rescue efforts began immediately after teams reached the wreckage.
There was no immediate official information on casualties.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held separate talks with the leaders of Somalia, the Republic of Congo, Iraq and Tanzania on the sidelines of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya on Thursday, seeking to deepen cooperation in defense, energy, trade and regional security while advancing Türkiye’s climate diplomacy.
During his meeting with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Erdoğan reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in defense and energy, according to a statement from the presidential Communications Directorate.
Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue taking steps to strengthen its partnership with Somalia, emphasizing that the country’s peace and stability remained a priority for Ankara.
He also expressed hope for the success of Somalia’s national dialogue process, the consolidation of national unity and the establishment of lasting social peace.
In talks with Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso, Erdoğan highlighted progress in bilateral trade and investment, saying both countries were working to unlock further economic potential.
He also underscored the importance of protecting biodiversity, particularly in the Congo Basin, one of the world’s most significant tropical rainforest ecosystems.
Erdoğan expressed confidence that Türkiye’s “Climate Implementation Bridge” initiative, developed under its COP31 presidency, would contribute to addressing environmental challenges and strengthening international climate cooperation.
Separately, Erdoğan met Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.
He welcomed growing trade between the two countries and pledged to pursue further cooperation across multiple sectors based on mutual benefit.
Erdoğan also emphasized that Türkiye aimed to implement climate initiatives addressing Africa’s priorities during its COP31 presidency.
During his meeting with Iraqi President Nizar Amedi, Erdoğan praised the momentum in high-level diplomatic exchanges, saying they had brought renewed dynamism to relations between Ankara and Baghdad.
He highlighted progress on the Development Road Project, a major transportation and trade corridor designed to strengthen Iraq’s connections with international markets and establish a new route for East-West commerce.
Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue expanding cooperation with Iraq across several sectors, particularly energy.
On regional security, he urged Baghdad to maintain and strengthen its support for Ankara’s goal of establishing a “terror-free region,” stressing that achieving this objective would benefit both countries.
The meetings came as Türkiye hosted world leaders in Antalya for COP31, providing Ankara with an opportunity to strengthen diplomatic and economic partnerships alongside discussions on global climate action.
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