Thousands protest in Antalya during midpoint of COP31 climate summit

More than 7,000 people marched through downtown Antalya, Turkey, on November 14, 2026, to protest during the midpoint of the COP31 climate summit. The demonstration occurred under rainy skies and was conducted under close police supervision. Participants were required to undergo police searches before joining the rally.

The protest was organized by a coalition of environmental groups, trade unions, and rights organizations. The demonstration took place as negotiations reached their halfway point. The COP31 summit began on November 9, 2026, and is scheduled to conclude on November 20, 2026. Nearly 200 nations are currently participating in the COP31 negotiations, with Turkey serving as a co-chair of the summit.

Demands and summit tensions

Halime Saman, a representative of the People's Climate Summit platform, stated that the voices of climate injustice victims are not heard at COP. Saman also noted that Turkey lacks a fossil fuel phase-out roadmap despite its role as a summit co-chair. During the summit week, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg attended a small demonstration inside the COP31 venue.

The summit is occurring against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and a conflict-driven energy crisis. Turkey is currently urging nations to join a voluntary pledge to increase the share of electricity in global final energy demand. Regarding the progress of the talks, Australian climate minister Chris Bowen said that conversations have been positive, but some issues require more time. UN climate chief Simon Stiell stated that there is no quick fix for climate change, but each COP must drive progress.

One demonstrator, 78-year-old Yasar Gokoglu, traveled nearly 600km from Adana to participate in the protest. Gokoglu said that the summit is a masquerade sponsored by monopolies.

Human rights and social issues

The climate demonstration occurred alongside significant social tensions in Turkey. In September 2026, Turkey began a crackdown on the country's LGBT community. While homosexuality is not criminally repressed in Turkey, it is widely disapproved of.

Burak Deniz, an LGBT activist from Izmir, said that LGBT placards were entrusted to Members of Parliament to avoid police confiscation or arrest. The protest highlighted the intersection of environmental and human rights concerns during the international negotiations.

Glossary

• COP31 — COP31 is a United Nations climate conference. It is being organized jointly by Turkey and Australia.
• People's Climate Summit — The People's Climate Summit is an alternative conference. It involves environmental activists from regions most affected by climate change.